Guyana has taken a significant step toward modernizing its financial infrastructure with three major commercial banks preparing to connect to the comprehensive National Payments System (NPS) platform. The system, developed by UK-based Aperta Payment Solutions, promises to revolutionize financial transactions for both individuals and businesses across the South American nation.
President Irfaan Ali announced the milestone during his keynote address at the 2026 Guyana Energy Conference, revealing that two commercial banks have already received approval for full integration into the digital platform. “We have completed the process of building out a national payment platform and two local banks are ready to go completely on a digital platform,” President Ali stated, highlighting the system’s capacity to enable digital wallets, payment systems, and transfer mechanisms.
The participating institutions include international players Scotia Bank, India-headquartered Bank of Baroda, and Republic Bank (based in Trinidad and Tobago), alongside locally-owned Citizens Bank, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry, and Demerara Bank.
Beyond the payments infrastructure, the government unveiled complementary initiatives to bolster Guyana’s digital economy. These include forming a specialized team of digital experts to transform innovative concepts into viable business proposals, followed by managerial support to ensure sustainable enterprise development.
The administration further plans to establish a Guyana Development Bank designed to facilitate increased lending through traditional financial institutions. President Ali noted that negotiations have already secured interest-free, collateral-free resources from commercial banks, with efforts underway to unlock additional low-cost financing with minimal collateral requirements.
Concurrently, work continues on developing a junior stock exchange to enhance corporate transparency and fully integrate emerging companies into the formal financial ecosystem, representing a comprehensive modernization of Guyana’s economic framework.