PARIS, January 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BAGRI (Agricultural Bank of Niger), a newly established bank in Niamey, chose the Orion software package by Capital Global Banking (CBS) for its computer system in its international call for tenders.

The contract includes the supply and roll-out of the core banking package and equipment required for its operation.

The Orion Solution by CBS is already being used in Niger in pan-African bank networks such as the BOA (Bank of Africa) and the Atlantic Bank Group. CBS is also known in Niger for its electronic remote clearing solution (Capital ImageCheque) which is the leading solution in Western Africa (78% of the market).

BAGRI, which wanted to adopt a computer system to match the scale of its ambitions, quite naturally opted for CBS after discovering the operability of the solution and the company's ability to turn the project around in under four months.

Mr Rabiou ABDOU, Director General of BAGRI, explained the reasons underlying this choice:

"We wanted to have an integrated solution which sustainably supports the development of our bank in its strategic directions:

- Agro-pastoral funding system(food production cultures, funding inputs, seed purchasing, tool modernisation, etc.) - Combating food insecurity problems - Supporting the emergence of agro-business, micro-finance institutions and funding branches In order to achieve this, the solution had to meet the following requirements: - Have solid experience in the West African Economic and Monetary Union - Be used by key players in the agricultural banking sector - Be modular and enable progressive development of functions implemented - Be able to handle the issue of integrating equipment to be supplied - Be committed to a real partnership in a result-oriented market - Be able to manage the requirement of a short turnaround period (4 months)

CBS and the Orion solution met all of these requirements for an offer and appeared to provide the best value for money in our view."

Mr Alain Deluermoz, Director General for Africa at CBS, stated that: "the BAGRI project represents a challenge for CBS who was able to provide a ready-made solution covering the entire range of needs of the bank in a short time period but with a project team, from the client side, which was made up of professionals with vast experience in the banking sector and accustomed to risky gambles such as this innovative project."

In accordance with the terms of the contract, the project began on 15 November 2010, and will go live in early March 2011.