Transformation is a fingerprint... "Esreflak" reshapes the relationship between citizens and money.
Iraq has achieved a qualitative leap in the electronic banking sector, ranking third in the Arab world in the number of bank cards issued, with a rate exceeding 46.5 cards per 100 people. This rate puts Iraq ahead of Jordan and Morocco, and close to the Gulf states, which have long led the field.
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This progress was based on a dual strategy that combined institutional support from the Central Bank of Iraq with popular support through awareness campaigns that met with a remarkable response, most notably the "Spend It" campaign, which sparked a wave of cultural change in the way people handle money.
In a short period of time, the campaign was able to break through the walls of cash habits, replacing them with easy and safe digital options. Hashtags like #spendyours and #makeyouruseseasier flooded social media platforms, transforming from mere advertising slogans into real-life experiences shared by people.
Haider Al-Zaidi tweeted on the “X” platform, saying: “This is the first time I have paid with a fingerprint and without cash at Abu Ammar’s store. Thank you to the #SpendYou campaign, which taught me this feature and facilitated the procedures.” This is a common testimony among new users of electronic payment.
The campaign invested more in field presence than in billboards, entering popular markets and signing partnerships with restaurants, gas stations, and even food stalls, giving it a popular feel uncommon among official digital transformation campaigns.
The Central Bank of Iraq confirmed in its latest data that electronic payment transactions increased by 62% during the first quarter of 2025 compared to last year, with more than 15 million card and point-of-sale (POS) payment transactions recorded. This reflects widespread acceptance of a more reliable technical infrastructure.
The campaign focused on the concept of simplicity of use and security of the experience, removing the psychological and cultural barriers associated with fear of financial technology, especially in a country where a large portion of the economy still operates in cash and on the margins of banking.
The campaign was integrated into a comprehensive national vision for the transition to a cashless economy. However, it did not follow the traditional path of digitization, opting instead for gradualism and partnership, using a language relatable to the people and tangible services on the ground.
Most Iraqi cities have witnessed a growing demand for card and mobile payments. This trend is evident in transportation stations, small shops, and even kiosks, which now display signs reading "We support you, spend it," a direct reflection of the shifting business and societal mentality.
“Asreflak” gained double power because it wasn’t just a top-down decision, but rather the product of a need from below. Field monitoring showed that people were ready to embrace this change, but were waiting for trust, and now they have found it.
Huge untapped wealth... Iraq's top 5 mines
Iraq's five most prominent mines reveal a map of mineral wealth that remains untapped due to decades of security challenges that have led to the neglect of these resources.
According to a report published by the Energy Platform, Iraq's most prominent minerals include "sulfur, phosphate, and rock salt, along with strategic minerals such as iron, manganese, zinc, and lead." The report indicated that "despite the dominance of oil in the economy, Iraq boasts vast mineral resources concentrated in a number of mines."
The platform stated in its report: "The mining sector in Iraq has been marginalized for decades due to political and security tensions. However, recent years have witnessed increased interest in revitalizing this vital sector. The Iraqi government is currently attempting to attract international investment to revive these mines, particularly with the move to diversify the economy away from its reliance on oil."
She added: "Geological data and surveys indicate that Iraq possesses vast reserves of important ores such as sulfur, phosphate, rock salt, iron, and manganese, some of which are ranked among the largest in the world. International reports also reveal that Iraq holds the world's largest reserves of free sulfur, in addition to significant reserves of silica sand."
Energy highlighted the five most prominent mines in Iraq, which form a unique geological map that could position Iraq among the region's leading mineral-producing countries.
Al-Mashraq Mine
The Mishraq mine is one of the largest natural sulfur mines in the world, containing vast reserves of natural sulfur close to the Earth's surface. Sulfur is extracted from the mine by fusion and is used in the fertilizer, petroleum product, and water treatment industries.
According to Energy, "exploitation of the mine began in the 1960s and reached its peak in the 1970s, but ceased after 2003. Despite plans to rehabilitate it, the mine remains out of service. The mine consists of three fields. The first field's reserves are estimated at 23.5 million tons, the second field's reserves are 65.8 million tons, and the third field's reserves are 224 million tons."
The Mishraq mine suffered extensive damage during the ISIS era, when the group set fire to sulfur storage facilities in 2016, causing a rare environmental disaster.
Akashat Mine
The Akashat mine, located in Anbar Governorate, is one of the richest phosphate deposits in the Middle East, with total reserves estimated at more than 7 billion tons, making it one of the top five mines in Iraq.
She said: "The extracted phosphate is used in the manufacture of fertilizers, phosphoric acid, and animal feed, and its reserves in the western desert of Iraq are estimated at more than 10 billion tons."
The mine includes an open quarry, a processing plant, and a railway line connecting it to the Al-Qaim plant. However, the infrastructure has been damaged by wars and terrorism, halting production for many years. Efforts are underway to restart the mine through investment partnerships .
Samawah Mine
The Samawah mine, located in Muthanna Governorate in southern Iraq, is "one of the five most prominent mines in Iraq specializing in extracting rock salt. The salt ore there is distinguished by its high quality and pure sedimentary composition, and is used in the food and chemical industries," according to what the "Energy" platform reviewed.
She added, "The mine operates intermittently and is managed by the General Company for Mining Industries. It suffers from a lack of investment, but it covers a significant portion of the local market's needs, with the potential to develop it into a regional center for salt exports."
Iron and manganese
Sulaymaniyah Governorate in the Kurdistan Region has "promising areas for iron deposits, particularly in Qara Dagh and Birspi, where sedimentary rocks contain hematite and magnetite ores at concentrations ranging from 30 to 45%."
Despite these positive indicators, according to the Energy report, "none of these mines have been commercially exploited yet. Manganese is found in areas such as Soran and Dohuk, but exploration is still preliminary. Factors such as the lack of infrastructure and transportation, in addition to weak financing, represent the most significant obstacles to developing these sites."
Zinc and lead
The Ministry of Energy explained that "there are indications of the presence of good-quality zinc and lead deposits within MVT-type replacement carbonate formations in mountainous areas near the Turkish and Iranian borders, such as Mergasor, Zakho, and Qalaat Diza."
"The main minerals there include galena and sphalerite, along with barite and fluorite. Despite the presence of these resources, the mines have not yet been exploited, but they represent a golden opportunity for Iraq's future plans to develop the mining sector."
Enemy Media: Netanyahu Announces His Approval of Witkoff's New Proposal (Stopping the War on Gaza)Netanyahu announces acceptance of the US proposal to stop the war on Gaza
Hamas announces receipt of Witkoff's new proposal and is studying it.
The "Witkoff Document," the outlines of which were revealed earlier today, include a potential ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel , through which Washington seeks to de-escalate the situation in Gaza. The agreement would last for 60 days, with direct guarantees from US President Donald Trump, and would then lead to negotiations aimed at establishing a permanent ceasefire.
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