In a bid to reach the unbanked market, First National Bank of Botswana has launched its new cell phone banking servicem, enabling banking activities such as balance enquiries, statement requests and the ability to make payments to third parties.
The service is accessible through any handset in Botswana and uses SMS or a menu-based technology for customers to complete their banking transactions, increasing mass market reach and adding functionality to First National Bank of Botswana’s (FNBB) offerings.
The new FNB Cellphone Banking offering is a natural extension from the pioneering beginnings of the inContact service, said Yolisa Lejowa, FNBB head of electronic banking. Initially the service will only be available on the Mascom network but we envisage activating FNB Cellphone Banking on the Orange network as well, shortly.
One in three people in Botswana have a cell phone and cell phones have a reach into some of the remote areas in the country.