Absa Bank Overhauls Credit Risk Operations with SAS and AWS

The transition replaces a legacy infrastructure defined by manual scripts and siloed data, which previously hindered the bank’s ability to manage its portfolio of over 500 credit risk models. According to Dewald Fourie, a modeling data scientist at Absa, the shift allows analysts to move away from repetitive report generation and toward strategic innovation. The new framework standardizes dashboards across all models, minimizing human error while providing real-time oversight for regulatory stakeholders.

Beyond operational speed, the move to cloud-based architecture enables elastic resource scaling, ensuring the bank pays only for the capacity it utilizes. The integration of AI-driven insights within SAS Viya also provides automated recommendations for optimization. Following this successful implementation, Absa plans to extend its data-centric approach to other operational domains, reinforcing its position as a major player in African financial services.