Nigerian multinational commercial bank, Access Bank Plc has joined the league of banks leveraging on Whatsapp, a message sharing platform, in order to improve their banking relationship. This is in line with the Access Bank’s vision to change the face of banking in Africa by leveraging innovation and technology.
Access Bank’s customers can now use the bank’s mobile app, Access Mobile, available on IOS and Android platforms, to effortlessly engage their Relationship Managers in the provision of customised and responsive banking services, using the WhatsApp messaging feature on the platform.
Speaking on the development, the bank’s Group Managing Director/ CEO, Herbert Wigwe said it is to improve the bank’s financial services.
“Driving customer intimacy and providing engaging and convenient access to financial services across all channels remain a key focus area for us and we will continue to drive and implement solutions to provide a best in class service for our customers.”
Prior to the birth of Access Bank’s Whatsapp banking, Guaranty Trust Bank plc had leveraged on the WhatsApp Business Solution to offer Nigerians an additional channel to connect with the Bank for inquiries, service requests, and access to other basic banking services.
With the launch of the Whatsapp Business Solution, GTBank aims at bringing financial services closer to customers, whilst offering them more channels to banking, make enquiries and have their service requests treated promptly.
In a similar vein, United Bank for Africa’s chat banker, Leo launched in pilot mode on WhatsApp. With Leo now on WhatsApp, customers who are lovers of the social media app will be able to open new accounts, check their balances on the go and carry out basic banking services.
First Bank had announced the launch of its chat banking on WhatsApp. With the launch, FirstBank’s customers would be able to leverage on the real-time messaging capabilities of the WhatsApp Business solution to check their account balances as well as perform simple banking queries.
Access Bank in its financial statements for the year ended December 2017, Gross Earnings increased from ₦381 billion in 2016 to ₦459 billion in 2017. Profit before tax fell from ₦90 billion in 2016 to ₦80 billion in 2017. Profit after tax also dropped from ₦71 billion in 2016 to ₦61 billion in 2017.
The bank declared a final dividend of ₦0.40 per share, bringing total dividend payment for 2017 to ₦0.65.
The bank’s stock traded at N10.00 yesterday on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) market.