Togbe Afede XIV
The National Investment Bank (NIB) in December last year launched its Fastlink Service to enable customers access banking services on their mobile handsets.
Togbe Afede XIV, Board Chairman, indicated that the service would allow all customers to transfer funds from one NIB account to another, transfer funds from an NIB account to accounts with other banks, buy airtime and pay bills, among others.
The event, which took place at a customer appreciation cocktail organised by the bank at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, also saw the re-launch of its internet banking service, which offered banking convenience to customers.
The Customer Appreciation Week was instituted to thank customers for the support and patronage of the bank’s products and services over the years.
Togbe Afede XIV, who expressed NIB’s commitment to further providing support for the capitalisation of indigenous companies, added that the bank was working hard to enhance job creation and make them viable in their respective industries.
He also gave assurance that NIB was getting itself in shape to undertake a lot of financial intermediation in the country through supporting government’s developmental programmes like the “One District, One Factory,” ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ and the free SHS.’
“The SME sector is very important to every economy and Ghana is not an exception. The sector has the potential to help create jobs, and also solve the unemployment challenge the country is faced with. SMEs also have the potential to grow into corporate entities that can propel the economy,” he said.
This sector, according to Togbe Afede, had been under-utilised and access to finance is strenuous for players in the sector, adding that “we at NIB have increased our appetite for risk and always engage them to understand the nature of their business and always able to support them.”
He therefore urged SMEs to improve their management skills and knowledge in book-keeping and basic accounting to enable them to conduct their businesses professionally.
Togbe Afede said the bank, in 2017, continued to pursue its aggressive strategic plan, which is aimed at expanding service delivery points in order to increase its market share and maximise shareholders’ wealth.
“I can assure you that our branch expansion strategy towards deepening financial inclusion and to bring our products and services to the doorsteps of our valued customers is on course. In line with this, we opened six new branches last year. This has increased our branch network to 52 as of today,” he said.