Bank El Amana: A Strategic Transformation Supported by an Innovative Partnership with Capital Banking Solutions

“Capital Banking Solutions has been a true catalyst for our transformation.”

The relationship between BEA and Capital Banking Solutions (CBS) also dates back to 2004, coinciding with the bank’s transformation. By adopting the CapitalBanker (formerly Orion) solution for its core banking system, BEA laid the foundation for a strong and lasting partnership. The partnership with CBS has enabled BEA to integrate innovative solutions such as CapitalCompliance and CapitalClearing, thereby strengthening its regulatory compliance and optimizing the management of interbank transactions. These tools have not only improved the bank’s operational efficiency but have also contributed to its competitiveness in the Mauritanian and international markets.

BEA does not intend to stop there. Under the leadership of Mohamed Ahmed Salem Bouna Moctar, the bank has recently integrated new technological components such as WhatsApp Banking, CapitalLending, CapitalPayments, and Capitale-Learning. These initiatives are part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at bringing the bank closer to its customers, especially young people, and promoting their financial inclusion. “Our main objective is to get closer to our potential clients, especially young people, and to promote their financial inclusion,” he emphasizes. The integration of these solutions demonstrates BEA’s commitment to being at the forefront of banking innovation in Mauritania while meeting the specific needs of its clients. By focusing on accessibility, security, and efficiency, BEA positions itself as a modern institution oriented towards the future.

An Evolving Partnership

The General Manager of BEA sees a promising future for the collaboration with CBS. Building on their shared experience, the two partners aim to continue innovating together to transform BEA into a community-focused bank, deeply rooted in the daily lives of its customers.

“With the support of CBS, we aim to strengthen our role as the leading bank in Mauritania,” says Mohamed Ahmed Salem Bouna Moctar. With increasingly personalized and accessible banking solutions, BEA aspires to become an essential player in the Mauritanian financial landscape, while actively supporting the country’s economic and social development.

Thanks to its strategic partnership with Capital Banking Solutions, Banque El Amana has transformed into a modern, responsive bank that is close to its customers. This transformation journey, grounded in innovation and proximity, positions BEA as a cornerstone of financial development in Mauritania, ready to face future challenges while remaining true to its values of excellence and service.

Here is the translation of the entire interview:

Question 1: Could you tell us about the history and establishment of your company? Could you share some key figures that illustrate your journey and your position in the market?

Answer: “Banque El Amana (BEA) is a leading financial institution in Mauritania, founded in 1996 as a public limited company under Mauritanian law. Initially, our mission was to promote social housing, in collaboration with the Mauritanian state, commercial banks, companies, and individual Mauritanians.

The major transformation of our institution took place in 2004, with the complete privatization of the former Banque de l’Habitat de Mauritanie. This privatization marked the beginning of a new era for BEA, which quickly restructured to become a full-service commercial bank. Since then, we have successfully established ourselves as one of the leading banks in the Mauritanian market.

Today, BEA stands out for its solid capitalization and an extensive network of branches covering the wilayas of Nouakchott, Dakhla, Nouadhibou, Assaba, Trarza, and Hodh El Gharbi. We are also positioned internationally through our dense network of prestigious foreign correspondents. To strengthen our position in an increasingly competitive environment, with the entry of new local and foreign banks in Mauritania, we have implemented an ambitious strategic plan focused on innovation, compliance with international standards, human resource development, and customer loyalty.

These continuous efforts have allowed us to consolidate our reputation as a benchmark bank, not only nationally but also internationally.”

Question 2: Could you trace the history of your collaboration with Capital Banking Solutions? Since when have you been working together, and how has this collaboration evolved over time, particularly with the use of solutions such as CapitalBanker (ex Orion) , Compliance, Clearing, etc.?

Answer: “Our collaboration with Capital Banking Solutions (CBS) dates back to 2004 when we adopted the CapitalBanker (ex Orion) solution for our core banking system. This decision marked the beginning of a fruitful and long-lasting relationship that played a crucial role in the development of our bank.

With CapitalBanker (ex Orion) , we were able to retain our customers, particularly in key sectors such as fishing and the foreign exchange market, where BEA has established itself as a leader. The flexibility and efficiency of the CapitalBanker (ex Orion) solution allowed us to offer services tailored to the specific needs of our clients, thus strengthening their trust and loyalty.

At the same time, the integration of the Compliance solution was an essential step to rigorously comply with the regulations in force. This solution helped us establish robust internal procedures, ensuring compliance and transparency in all our operations. This not only strengthened our position in the market but also enabled us to retain our customers through secure service that adheres to international standards.

As for the Clearing solution, it has significantly improved our payment management and interbank settlement capabilities. It allowed us to process transactions more efficiently and securely, which is crucial in a financial environment where speed and accuracy are essential.

Thus, our partnership with CBS has evolved over the years, enriched with new features and solutions that have enabled us to maintain our competitiveness and continue to meet the changing needs of our clientele. This collaboration has truly helped us strengthen our technological infrastructure and offer high-quality banking services.”

Question 3: What is the strategic direction behind your institution’s decision to upgrade and integrate new components such as WhatsApp Banking, Lending, Payments, and e-Learning? How do these initiatives contribute to supporting your long-term objectives?

Answer: “Upgrading our banking system with the integration of new components such as WhatsApp Banking, Lending, Payments, and e-Learning is part of our overall strategy of innovation and proximity. Our main objective is to get closer to our potential clients, particularly young people, and promote their financial inclusion.

WhatsApp Banking represents a significant advance in our approach to digital banking. By allowing our clients to carry out banking operations via such an accessible and widely used platform, we are facilitating access to banking services for a new generation of clients. This reflects our commitment to making banking more accessible and convenient for everyone.

The Lending component enhances our ability to manage the loan lifecycle, offering smoother and more secure processes for our clients. This is particularly important in a context where we seek to support local economic development by facilitating access to credit for businesses and individuals.

The Payments solution enables us to efficiently manage international transactions, ensuring secure payments that comply with international standards. This reinforces our position in the market as a reliable bank for international exchanges.

Finally, the e-Learning platform is an essential tool for the development of our human resources. By training our employees in new technologies and solutions, we ensure rapid and effective adoption of innovations, which is crucial to maintaining our competitiveness.

These initiatives align with our long-term vision of becoming a benchmark bank for innovation and proximity in Mauritania. We firmly believe that these technological investments not only improve our current services but also pave the way for meeting the future needs of our clients. By focusing on innovation and financial inclusion, we are committed to providing high-quality banking services that support the economic and social development of our country.”

Question 4: What are the concrete advantages and benefits that Capital Banking Solutions’ solutions have brought you so far? How have these solutions facilitated innovation, optimized your technological processes, or improved resource management and time savings?

Answer: “Capital Banking Solutions’ solutions have provided significant benefits to Banque El Amana, allowing us to respond more effectively to our clients’ needs and stand out in a competitive environment.

One of the major advantages has been the improvement of our response time to client requests. With integrated and optimized systems, we are now able to process requests and transactions much faster and more efficiently. This responsiveness is essential to remain competitive, especially in a market where clients expect fast and reliable services.

Additionally, the integration of CBS solutions has allowed us to save time and redeploy our resources more strategically. With automated and simplified processes, our teams can focus more on value-added tasks, such as defining our new banking identity. We are committed to becoming a bank of proximity and innovation, aligning our services with the growing expectations of our clientele.

These solutions have also facilitated innovation within our institution. By integrating modern technologies like WhatsApp Banking and improving our lending and payment management capabilities, we offer innovative services that meet the specific needs of our clients. This strengthens our positioning as a modern and forward-looking bank.

In summary, CBS solutions have not only optimized our technological processes and improved our resource management but have also laid the foundation for our transformation into a more agile and client-focused bank. This allows us to better serve our current clients while preparing our institution for future challenges and opportunities.”

Question 5: How would you describe the nature of your partnership with Capital Banking Solutions? What are the key elements that have contributed to the success of this collaboration, and how do you see it evolving in the future?

Answer: “Our relationship with Capital Banking Solutions (CBS) is deeply rooted in the history of our institution. Since our early steps together in 2004, this collaboration has strengthened over the years, based on mutual trust and a shared vision of innovation in the banking sector.

One of the key elements of our success lies in the perfect alignment of CBS products with our strategic vision for BEA. The solutions offered by CBS are not only innovative but are also designed to specifically meet our objectives of becoming a proximity bank that effectively serves the needs of young people and development actors in Mauritania. This compatibility has allowed us to integrate technological tools that support our commitment to our clients and strengthen our position in the market.

As for the future, I see our partnership with CBS evolving in an even more dynamic way. As CEO, I am convinced that Banque El Amana will continue to transform itself into not only a proximity bank but a true daily partner for our clients. We will continue to innovate by integrating technologies that bring the bank closer to its clients, facilitate their daily lives, and support their growth.

With the support of CBS, we plan to consolidate our role as a reference bank in Mauritania, with a particular focus on financial inclusion, support for young entrepreneurs, and sustainable development initiatives. Our partnership is therefore set to grow stronger, always with a common goal of improving our clients’ lives and contributing positively to the development of our country.”

Question 6: How do you envision the future with CBS?

Answer: “Together with Capital Banking Solutions, we have a clear ambition: to make Banque El Amana the reference proximity bank in Mauritania and be a pioneer in 2.0 banking services.

Banking 2.0 is much more than just a digital transformation. It is a new banking model that places the customer at the center of all attention, using the most advanced technologies to offer personalized, accessible, and instant services. This includes solutions like WhatsApp Banking, which allows our clients to manage their accounts directly from their smartphones, as well as the integration of innovative payment systems like Amanty and e-learning platforms to enhance our teams’ skills.

We plan to continue this evolution with CBS by developing new features that meet the changing needs of our clientele. We will also continue to innovate to anticipate consumer expectations and stay at the forefront of financial technologies. Together, we want to create a unique banking experience that combines tradition and modernity while strengthening our role as a life partner for our clients.

In short, the future with CBS will be marked by even closer collaboration, aiming to transform Banque El Amana into a key player in the Mauritanian banking landscape, with a service offering that is ever closer, more responsive, and more innovative.”