Absa Group Ltd. has renewed its partnership with Salesforce Inc. in a three-year agreement aimed at scaling artificial intelligence and data-driven banking services across its African footprint, underscoring intensifying competition among lenders to digitize operations and personalize customer experiences.
The expanded collaboration—one of the largest Salesforce deployments in Africa’s financial sector—will introduce tools including Agentforce, Data Cloud and Loyalty Cloud across multiple business units. Absa said the rollout is expected to improve operational efficiency, speed up product development cycles and deepen customer engagement on its digital platforms.
The lender is betting on AI to sharpen its competitive edge in markets where mobile-first banking and fintech disruption are reshaping consumer expectations. As part of the agreement, Absa has already deployed Salesforce’s Agentforce capability, becoming the first bank on the continent to do so. The system powers “Abby,” an AI assistant integrated into the bank’s app and website, offering real-time support and navigation. On its business banking platform, the tool operates in all 11 of South Africa’s official languages.
“This renewed collaboration speaks to Absa’s continued focus on customer-centric, data-driven transformation,” said Thato Matolong, the bank’s chief information officer for personal and private banking.
Salesforce, which has been expanding its enterprise AI offerings globally, is positioning the partnership as a flagship example of localized AI adoption in emerging markets. “Absa exemplifies what it means to be a truly AI-driven enterprise,” said Linda Saunders, Salesforce’s country manager for Africa.
The platform is now used by about 15,000 Absa employees across frontline and back-office functions, highlighting its role as a core enterprise system rather than a niche tool. The bank has also ramped up internal capabilities, with nearly 500 active Salesforce certifications among staff as it builds out AI-related skills.
Absa’s investment comes as African banks face mounting pressure to modernize legacy systems while expanding financial inclusion. Institutions across the continent are increasingly turning to cloud-based platforms and automation to cut costs and scale services to underserved populations.
The lender has also sought to raise its global profile through regular appearances at Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference since 2023, where it has showcased its progress in AI integration and customer experience transformation. Its efforts have earned industry recognition, including AI and data innovation awards from Salesforce’s South African unit.
Financial terms of the renewed agreement were not disclosed.