The meeting at the Ruler’s Office in Sharjah reviewed Al Etihad Credit Bureau’s ongoing work to support the national economy through reliable credit data and risk assessment tools, according to a report by the Emirates News Agency. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, who serves as Deputy Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, welcomed the presentation on the bureau’s initiatives aimed at promoting financial inclusion. Discussions also explored opportunities for closer ties between the bureau and institutions within the emirate to align with broader development priorities.
Al Etihad Credit Bureau data shows the organisation has expanded from producing one million credit reports in 2014 to more than 17 million reports and scores each year. The bureau’s Director-General Marwan Ahmad Lutfi has noted that this increase reflects rising demand for credit intelligence that now underpins much of the UAE’s financial decision-making. Its database encompasses 32.6 million bank accounts along with information from more than 119 data providers including banks, utilities and government bodies.
Established under UAE Federal Law No. 6 of 2010, Al Etihad Credit Bureau functions as a public joint stock company wholly owned by the federal government and collects credit information from financial and non-financial entities. The bureau generates three-digit credit scores between 300 and 900 to help predict repayment likelihood while producing detailed reports that include payment histories and other relevant data. Recent integration of salary details for 3.71 million customers and non-banking records from ministries has broadened the scope of corporate risk evaluations, a step the bureau says improves accuracy for lenders and investors.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi has served as Deputy Ruler of Sharjah since 2021 while chairing the Sharjah National Oil Corporation, the University of Sharjah and the Sharjah Media Council. Official biographies list his additional responsibilities as chairman of the Sharjah Judicial Council and deputy chairman of the Executive Council, roles that involve oversight of economic and regulatory matters across the emirate. His background in business administration and computer information systems informs his engagement with initiatives that advance technological and financial infrastructure.
The bureau has incorporated data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation as well as the Abu Dhabi Pension Fund into its reporting framework, according to updates from Al Etihad Credit Bureau. This expansion shifts assessments toward a wider view of operational compliance and payment discipline beyond traditional banking metrics. Lutfi has described the changes as part of a strategy to position the bureau as a comprehensive national data insights provider that bolsters overall economic stability.
During the reception, the two sides addressed ways to expand public access to credit reports through digital government platforms, building on existing availability via services such as TAM and Dubai Now. Approximately 10 percent of the population now requests personal credit evaluations, a trend the bureau attributes to growing financial awareness. The discussion concluded with mutual recognition of the value of sustained coordination between federal financial entities and Sharjah’s leadership structures.
