BSI strengthens Sharia financial ecosystem within pesantren environments
PT Bank Syariah Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (BSI) is strengthening the economic independence of the Ummah by increasing Sharia financial literacy, penetration, and the overall financial ecosystem, particularly within Indonesia’s pesantren environments.
“BSI is committed to encouraging pesantren to ‘level up’ and become increasingly economically independent,” said BSI President Director Anggoro Eko Cahyo in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.
Anggoro stated that BSI continues to focus its efforts on penetrating Sharia financial services within pesantren environments across Indonesia. Currently, the Company has been trusted to manage financial services in more than 14,000 pesantren nationwide, with approximately 23.9 per cent of these located in East Java, which serves as one of the largest bases for pesantren in the country.
This initiative is being realised through the provision of integrated services, including the use of cash management facilities to support institutional administrative governance, the presence of BSI Agents to strengthen local economic circulation, and the optimisation of the BYOND by BSI application as the primary mobile banking platform for pesantren communities.
“Through the strengthening of these digital banking services, BSI wants to ensure that pesantren do not only serve as centres for education and preaching, but are also able to transform into centres for community economic empowerment and act as drivers for national Sharia economic and financial growth,” Anggoro added.
Furthermore, BSI’s commitment is reflected in the Company’s efforts to deepen collaboration with Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). BSI marked a significant milestone by becoming the first institution to be officially received by the elected General Chairman of the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) for the 2026-2031 term, KH Abdul Hakim Mahfudz (Gus Kikin), on his first day of work at the PBNU Office in Jakarta.
The courtesy visit, conducted by BSI President Director and BSI President Commissioner Muhadjir Effendy, represents a concrete step by the company to strengthen strategic synergy with NU, particularly in driving increased Sharia financial literacy, penetration, and the ecosystem in Indonesia.
As one of the largest Islamic community organisations in Indonesia, NU is considered to have a strategic role in presenting inspiring ideas capable of driving the progress of the Ummah as well as national economic growth. Therefore, the collaboration between BSI and NU is directed towards the development of institutional ecosystems, the economic empowerment of the Ummah, and the comprehensive strengthening of the pesantren ecosystem.