CRIF Jordan is working to include water and electricity bill data in credit reports, alongside telecommunications bills, according to Fadi Tawabini, Assistant General Manager and Director of Operations at CRIF Jordan.
Tawabini said technical and legal challenges remain, but efforts are underway to overcome these obstacles.
Speaking to Al Mamlaka TV’s “Economic Sunday” program, Tawabini said CRIF Jordan and the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission are working on the initiative, while also coordinating with the water utility company and the Water Authority of Jordan to include the data as part of utility bills.
“We are trying to include this data in credit reports, and hopefully we will hear good news soon in this regard,” Tawabini said.
He explained that Jordan’s Credit Information Law covers deferred payment for services, including telecommunications, water and electricity bills. Telecommunications companies are currently among the service providers that supply data to CRIF Jordan.
Postpaid telecommunications bills are considered a form of short-term credit, he said, as they reflect an individual’s credit behavior and commitment to making payments.
Tawabini stressed that including utility bills in credit reports does not necessarily result in a negative record. Rather, regularly paying such bills can help individuals build a strong credit history, even if they have no loans or other banking obligations.
A good credit history can help individuals in the future when applying for financing from a bank or finance company, while late or missed payments are considered unfavorable and could negatively affect their chances of obtaining financing.
According to Tawabini, a credit report reflects an individual’s credit history and payment behavior, showing their payment record on a month-by-month basis, including periods of timely payments and delays.
He said credit scores classify individuals into risk levels ranging from “very low risk” to “very high risk,” based on a range of factors related to their credit history and payment performance.
Tawabini emphasized that CRIF Jordan does not decide whether financing applications are approved or rejected. Instead, it provides a tool that helps credit providers assess an applicant’s creditworthiness, while the final decision remains entirely with the lending institution.
He stressed that the credit report issued by the company does not recommend whether financing should be approved or rejected, nor does it require a credit provider to make a specific decision.
Tawabini noted that including utility bill data in credit reports is consistent with best practices followed by a large number of credit information companies, including in the United States and Europe, where water and electricity data form part of credit reports.
CRIF Jordan, which is licensed by the Central Bank of Jordan, collects and organizes credit information into records and issues credit reports to entities requesting such information.
Credit information covers various types of obligations, whether long- or short-term, including loans, utility bills and commercial credit.
Tawabini said the number of data providers supplying information to CRIF Jordan rose to 73 during the first eight months of 2026, compared with 67 during the same period last year. The providers include banks, telecommunications companies, microfinance and non-bank finance companies, credit card companies, and businesses engaged in commercial credit activities.
Source: Al Mamlaka TV
