PM Masrour Barzani Says Over Half a Million Public Sector Workers Now Paid Digitally

Peregraf

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced on Wednesday that more than half a million civil servants and pensioners now receive their salaries digitally through banks participating in the government’s MyAccount program. 

The program, launched in 2023, is part of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s financial inclusion strategy. According to Barzani, it has raised the share of the bankable population from less than 5% to more than 15% in just two years.

“MyAccount has incentivized banks to expand their retail business, open new branches, install more ATMs, and improve customer services,” Barzani said in a statement. He added that deposits in participating banks have steadily grown, enabling loans to individuals and businesses.

To date, more than $3 billion has been processed through the program, creating jobs in the financial sector and expanding access to credit — which Barzani described as “vital for growing the economy, SMEs, and startups.”

The prime minister said the initiative has also made the KRG’s payroll system more efficient by accelerating disbursements and increasing transparency in government payments.

Looking ahead, the KRG aims to extend financial inclusion to more than 50% of the population by the end of 2028, in line with the ninth cabinet’s reform agenda. 

“This is an important milestone — but much more work lies ahead. We will continue to ensure the public benefits from secure and modern banking,” Barzani said.