UAE credit reports to include pension and Nafis income in boost for loan assessments

Dubai: UAE banks and lenders will now be able to see a more complete picture of an individual's verified income after Etihad Credit Bureau (ECB) integrated pension and Nafis support data into its credit information products.

The move, announced on Tuesday, brings verified income information from the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) and the Nafis programme into the Individual Credit Report, alongside existing salary data.

The integration is designed to help banks and other financial institutions make more informed lending decisions by recognising additional sources of regular income when assessing loan applications.

For eligible UAE nationals, this could improve how lenders calculate their Income Utilisation Ratio (IUR), a measure used to assess how much of a person's income is already committed to debt repayments. A stronger verified income profile could improve eligibility for certain loans or credit facilities, depending on each lender's lending policies.

Until now, lenders primarily relied on salary information when reviewing credit applications.

With the latest update, verified pension income and eligible Nafis financial support will also form part of the income information available through ECB's credit reports. That gives lenders a broader view of an applicant's recurring income, particularly for retirees and Emiratis receiving support under the Nafis programme.

Etihad Credit Bureau said the integration forms part of a wider digital collaboration with GPSSA and Nafis to strengthen the exchange of financial, credit and government support data while maintaining data security and transparency.

Marwan Ahmed Lutfi, Director General of Etihad Credit Bureau, said the addition of verified pension income and Nafis support represents "an important enhancement to the way income is assessed."

"By recognizing pension income and applicable Nafis financial support alongside existing salary data, financial institutions can form a more complete view of an individual's steady financial income and make better-informed credit decisions," he said.

He added that the enhanced information would help UAE nationals be assessed more accurately when financial institutions determine their eligibility for loans and other financial products.

Faras Abdul Kareem Al Ramahi, Director General of GPSSA, said the partnership reflects the authority's efforts to use data to support evidence-based decision-making and improve citizens' long-term financial wellbeing.

He said enhanced data integration would help government entities better understand citizens' needs while supporting the UAE's broader vision of building a sustainable and integrated financial ecosystem.

Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, said adding Nafis support to credit reports would improve financial transparency and give lenders a clearer understanding of beneficiaries' financial positions.

He said the initiative would enable more accurate assessments of borrowers' ability to meet their financial obligations while supporting Emirati talent through stronger collaboration between government entities.

Etihad Credit Bureau said the latest integrations are part of its ongoing efforts to expand the quality and breadth of information available to financial institutions, helping build a more efficient and robust credit ecosystem across the UAE.