Absa Upgrades Banking Operations with AI-Ready SAP Technologies
17th July 2025
Absa Group has completed a significant upgrade of its banking operations across several African countries by replacing outdated legacy systems with modern, AI-compatible SAP technologies. This transformation spans over a decade and focuses on building a unified digital platform to streamline finance and procurement processes while improving business agility.
Early Challenges and Strategic Adjustments
The initiative began in 2011, shortly after Barclays acquired Absa, aiming to integrate all African entities onto a single Barclays platform. However, this platform proved inadequate for retail banking in Africa because it struggled with master data management, general ledger accounts, and detailed core banking functions.
To address these issues, Absa launched Project Owari, named after an ancient African board game. Tanzania was the first test case, but challenges led to a seven-month pause for reassessment. After extensive consultations up to the executive level, the team decided to scale down the ambition and focus on a smaller market to develop a viable rollout blueprint.
Stepwise Implementation Across Countries
Zambia became the first country to implement the new system in 2016, using a hybrid approach combining the South African SAP ECC6 platform and SAP Supplier Relationship Management. Following Zambia, Mauritius and Seychelles adopted similar rollouts in 2016, Ghana and Tanzania between 2017 and 2018, Botswana in 2018, and Uganda in 2019.
During this period, Absa separated from Barclays in 2017, and SAP introduced its advanced cloud-based S/4HANA platform. The group embraced SAP S/4HANA with a focus on clean core principles: minimizing customization, standardizing processes, and removing legacy workarounds.
Governance and Phased Deployment
Strong governance ensured alignment and prevented scope creep throughout the implementation. Where needed, the rollout was divided into phases, starting with cost accounting, then moving on to primary ledger and group reporting.
The pandemic required teams to work remotely across borders, accelerating digital collaboration. Kenya’s rollout was mostly virtual, while the South African implementation revealed the need for more flexibility. Absa separated the launch of ledger, group reporting, and procurement systems, adopting Coupa for procurement to strengthen spend controls and digitize mandates.
Benefits and Future Outlook
With improved data models, Absa can now respond faster to regulatory requirements and enhance external reporting. The upgraded platform also sets the stage for future innovations such as SAP Financial Products Subledger and AI-driven business applications.
This decade-long effort demanded commitment and focus but positions Absa for sustainable and scalable growth across its operations.
Industry Perspective
Nazia Pillay, Interim Managing Director for Southern Africa at SAP, highlighted the challenges banks face in balancing business continuity, regulatory compliance, and technology upgrades. She noted that Absa has successfully transformed its core banking processes and established a solid foundation for further technology-driven innovation in Africa.
About Absa Group
Absa Group is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services providers, operating in 12 countries and maintaining a presence in key global markets.
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