Lebanon secures $150M for digitalization as India eyes UPI fees

Homepage > News > Finance > Lebanon secures $150M for digitalization as India eyes UPI fees Lebanon and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement to support the country’s digital transformation drive. Meanwhile, India has opened the door to charging merchant fees for using the government-backed Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Lebanon enters $150 million loan deal with World Bank to support digitalization On August 10, the World Bank and Lebanon agreed to a $150 million loan for the country’s “Digital Acceleration Project,” the National reported. The project’s goal is to enable easier access to government services for Lebanese people, many of whom still rely on paper trails to deal with public transactions. The loan, the World Bank said, will “improve the delivery of high-impact public services through digital transformation of the public sector” and would be achieved “through enhanced digital platforms and data capabilities.” The deal was signed with the presence of the World Bank’s new regional director, Dalia Khalifa, and Lebanese Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber. In January, the World Bank green-lighted the $150 million loan. Since the start of 2026, Lebanon has be...