Standard Chartered Plc, a British multinational banking and financial services company, has announced the completion of a simultaneous multi-market launch of its digitally-led retail banks in Ghana and Tanzania.
The international financial services provider also revealed that its digitally-enabled retail bank in East Africa’s giant, Kenya, will be completed in the first quarter of 2019.
This is coming after the bank launched its digital offerings in Ivory Coast and Uganda, a reflection of the digital transformation strategy of the bank in Africa.
The latest roll-outs would give residents of Tanzania and Ghana access to the mobile-enabled digital bank platform, which has numerous benefits such as quick opening of account (in local currency/US dollars), zero-cost on bill payment, cost-free monthly ledger, no minimum balance and free initial ATM cards.
According to the bank, customers stand to benefit from over 70 client services, client on-boarding express within a quarter of an hour. Customers would also enjoy special retail, travel and dining experiences through the bank’s strategic local partnership.
Sunil Kaushal, Regional Chief Executive Officer of the bank in Africa and Middle East, remarked that efforts to digitalize Africa are paramount to the strategic transformation of the bank.
“We are constantly looking for ways to push the boundaries, by providing our customers with innovative solutions and technologies
“Ultimately, it is about listening to what our clients want and meeting their banking needs by offering a digital platform to do their banking anytime and anywhere, through the channel they prefer”, Kaushal said.
It would be recalled that the bank unveiled its digital-led bank in Ivory Coast in March 2018. Customers were able to account on Standard Chartered mobile app.
It is expected that bank accounts take-up, driven by digital would increase rapidly in Ivory Coast before 2024.
The bank presently has roll outs in four African countries namely Ghana, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and Uganda, with work on-going in Kenya.
Standard Chartered Bank, headquartered in London, operates a network of more than 1, 200 branches and outlets (including subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures) in over 70 countries.
Despite its base in the United Kingdom (UK), it does not conduct retail banking in the UK, and more than 85 percent of its profits come from Africa, Asia and Middle East.
ISRAEL ODUBOLA
