Absa Bank Cuts Credit Reporting Time from Weeks to Hours

Absa Bank modernized its credit risk management infrastructure by deploying SAS Viya on Amazon Web Services (AWS), transitioning from manual scripts and siloed processes to automated dashboards. The AI-driven automation has reduced reporting cycles by 80% to 90%, allowing the bank to generate reports in hours rather than the weeks required under previous systems. This shift has also increased the speed of onboarding new credit models by 50%, with new frameworks now going live in under six months.

To support this transition, the bank established a Center of Excellence focused on improving loss predictability and regulatory compliance. The implementation has effectively turned model risk management into a strategic capability by automating what was previously a manual function.

Following the success of the credit risk overhaul, the bank intends to expand this data and AI-driven approach to other operational areas to further improve model governance.