Our reporter
In a strategic move to encourage its customers to bank from home and reduce physical visits to banking halls, Pan-African Financial Powerhouse, United Bank for Africa (UBA), has upgraded its mobile banking app to a complete one-stop virtual bank with improved features to assure easier and more convenient banking online.
The move which will smartly abate challenges of control crowd and maintaining social distancing at branches, will help meet the varying needs of millions of customers and the banking public during and post COVID-19 era.
One of the special features of the improved mobile app tagged “Group Transfers” enables the bank user to send money to as many as one hundred receivers at once – under a single click on the mobile phone.
The Group Head, Digital Banking, Sampson Aneke while revealing the unique features of the new app, during a virtual World Press Conference on Monday, said the purpose of “Group Transfers” was to allow small scale business owners and individuals to engage in seamless transaction with their business contacts without having to appear at the bank hall or go around with physical cash.
More excitingly, the UBA group has enabled her customers to access quick loans of up to 5 million naira through the app. The loan, which is payable in 12 months and with less than 2% interest rate, was said to be an opportunity for SMEs to stabilize their businesses post-Covid-19. Aneke revealed that the bank has renewed her commitment to innovate more banking solutions to its numerous customers.
Other features made possible through the improved app include “Lifestyle” which gives access to medical consultation, food and restaurant services, movies, sports and events.
At the briefing which had over 80 media houses in attendance from all over Africa, the bank says it has partnered with several service organizations to ensure that its customers enjoyed such benefits on the new app at discounted prices and with no difficulty.
It was further indicated that the usual quick-teller functions such as; bill payment, transaction history, account statement and telecom recharges, have been redesigned to make easy transaction.
Also speaking at the briefing while Urging the various bank customers to keep their transaction password secret; the UBA Group Head, Consumer and Retail Banking, Jude Anele said the bank has further fortified the security of the mobile app to safeguard users from hackers, without jeopardising customers’ convenience of accessing the app.
While praying for the end of Covid-19, he enjoined customers and the general public to adjust to the recommended hygiene and embrace the opportunity offered through the new mobile app to maintain social distance, and carry out their transactions more comfortably.
“The financial industry is technology-based, and we know there would be more digital disruptions in the future, but we are ready to keep up with the tide through fresh innovations” Anele added.
