AB Microfinance Bank Nigeria (ABN), part of the AccessHolding network, has partnered with Juakali since early 2020. Over the past five years, ABN has progressively digitized and automated its loan origination operations—starting small, improving step-by-step, and avoiding disruption along the way.
Thanks to this approach, ABN now approves new loans in under 24 hours, with disbursement possible on the same day. The bank has also introduced automated loan renewals, reducing repeat loan processing time to as little as 30 minutes.
Today, ABN uses Juakali to manage its entire microloan portfolio—covering loans between ₦200,000 and ₦5,000,000, which account for 90% of its loan volume. In a market where digital competition is increasing, this operational transformation has been critical to maintaining both speed and quality of service.
When ABN first adopted Juakali, all loan origination processes were paper-based. Field agents filled out forms by hand and brought them to the branch, where back-office staff manually re-entered the data into the core banking system (CBS). Once recorded, the CBS generated printed summaries, which were handed to group leaders for review and approval. Their decisions were then re-entered by the back office, which also generated and printed the loan contract for disbursement.
This process was time-consuming and error-prone, with multiple handovers, duplicated data entry, and a heavy administrative burden.
To improve efficiency without disrupting operations, ABN rolled out Juakali in structured phases:
The bank began by digitizing its field data collection. Loan officers were equipped with tablets and submitted client and business data through Juakali, replacing paper forms entirely. This simplified front-line operations but didn’t yet eliminate the need for re-entry into the CBS.
To resolve the back-office bottleneck, ABN integrated Juakali directly with its core banking system. After validation in Juakali, loan files are now automatically pushed to the CBS, eliminating manual entry. Credit checks, which were previously handled manually by the back-office on a separate interface, were also integrated in the process—Juakali connects directly to the bank’s credit bureau partner.
This removed a key pain point, reduced turnaround time, and improved data reliability.
Previously, group leaders could only make decisions after receiving a printed summary from the back office. In phase 3, Juakali enabled loan files to be routed directly to group leaders in digital format. They now make decisions directly in the platform, eliminating the need for paper summaries and manual routing.
This shift also transformed back-office operations. The role of data entry and printing staff was no longer required. Instead, ABN introduced a Quality Control Officer who reviews loan applications after group leader approval and before final execution. This strengthened risk oversight while reducing headcount.
The final “media break”—manual contract generation—was addressed in the fourth phase. After Quality Control approval, contracts are now generated automatically via Juakali and can be signed on a tablet either in the branch or directly in the field.
Depending on the loan type and client profile, disbursement can now happen in-person at the branch, on-site at the business, or through the bank’s mobile app
Loan officers no longer need to print or hand-deliver contracts, and disbursement teams no longer need to process manual handovers.
• Digital Archive: ABN worked with Juakali to implement a secure, server-based storage system for disbursed loan files—removing the need for physical archiving and enabling controlled internal access.
• Direct Debit Authorization: Juakali integrates with a local provider to capture debit mandates at loan approval, reducing risk in case of overdue payments.
• Remote Account Opening: Soon to be launched, this feature enables field agents to open accounts directly in Juakali, complete with real-time KYC validation via national ID databases.
Thanks to Juakali, ABN implemented a centralized loan renewal process. For eligible clients, follow-up tasks are automatically created before the current loan expires, prompting underwriters to reach out. If the client is available, the entire renewal process can take as little as 30 minutes, including disbursement!
Importantly, this process was kept deliberately simple to preserve a smooth customer experience. Thanks to Juakali’s flexibility, ABN can continue improving and adapting it over time.
✅ 24h Loan Turnaround. Disbursement can occur on the same day.
✅ 50% reduction in back-office workforce, with a shift in focus to quality control and data oversight.
✅ End-to-end digital workflows, from application to contract signing and disbursement.
✅ Automated loan renewals with processing time reduced to 30 minutes.
✅ Minimal disruption during rollout, thanks to Juakali’s phased and configurable deployment.
✅ Ongoing flexibility, allowing ABN to improve processes incrementally and adapt to operational realities.
ABN’s experience illustrates how digital transformation can be achieved without disruption—by taking an incremental approach that matches the pace of internal change. With Juakali, the bank has built robust, paperless workflows and is positioned to continue evolving.
Next steps include expanding automation to more product lines and enhancing features like audit trails and internal collaboration tools.
For financial institutions navigating similar challenges, ABN’s journey shows how the right platform can support not only operational gains, but a sustainable digital transition—one step at a time.
