Exim Bank Inaugurates in-House Training Centre

Exim Bank Tanzania has launched a special branch stimulation training for its staff in a move aimed at enhancing efficiency in delivery of services. New members of staff are scheduled to get an average of 56 hours of training, while others would have a minimum of 160 hours of ongoing classroom exposure. Speaking at the

Kenyans Transacting $71m Daily via Mobile Money

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has reported KSh6.2 billion (US$71 million) is transacted every day via mobile money, up from a daily average of KSh5.2 billion (US$59 million) last year. The Business Daily reports CBK data revealed that KSh543 billion (US$6.2 billion) changed hands in 206 million transactions conducted through mobile phones in the

Telecel Launches Debit Card

Telecel has introduced a debit card for Telecash subscribers, the Telecash gold card, which they can use to pay for goods and services at any of the more than 5 000 ZimSwitch points of sale across the country. It is the first mobile phone network to have issued debit cards for its mobile electronic wallet

Banks in Rwanda See Profits Margins Growing Rapidly

Rwanda’s banking sector recorded increased profits in the first quarter of 2014, thanks to a cash-hungry economy recovering from the 2013 slump. The sector recorded Rwf700m in total profits during the first three months to hit Rwf8.8 billion (approx. $10m) measured against last year’s Rwf8.1b, Rwanda’s central bank announced two weeks ago. While there was

BoT Moots Use of SMS to Combat Fake Bank Notes

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) is considering the use of Short Message Service (SMS) to educate the public on legal tender security features, being part of strategies to prevent fabrication and distribution of counterfeit notes. Commenting on the seriousness of the matter, Senior Clerical Officer from the BoT, Directorate of Banking, Ms Rehema Zongo admitted

KCB, Safaricom Gear Up for Collaborative Push Towards a Cash-Lite Economy

KCB Group and Safaricom Limited, two of East Africa’s most successful companies have announced a far-reaching strategic partnership that is expected to reshape how tens of millions of consumers in Kenya access financial and telecommunication services. The partnership is expected to be a game-changer, bringing together the region’s leading mobile operator and bank, who both

Windows Apps Now Available Through Safaricom Airtime

Microsoft has partnered with leading Kenyan telecom Safaricom to make it possible for customers to download apps from the Windows Phone Store and make payments using their mobile phones, opening a reliable revenue channel for the developer community. Mobile operator billing services will target the growing number of Windows-based smartphone users who previously had to

Increase in Kenya’s Diaspora Remittances for May 2014

The Central Bank of Kenya conducts a survey on remittance inflows every month through the formal channels that include commercial banks and other authorized international remittance service providers in Kenya. The results for May were as follows. Remittances to Kenya increased by 8.6 percent, to USD 119.7 million in May 2014 compared to USD 110.1

Bank of Maritius Warns of Fake Bank Cheques

The Bank of Mauritius has released a statement saying that it has come to their knowledge that fake bank cheques, purportedly emanating from banks, are currently in circulation in the country and that certain companies have been victims to such fraudulent practices. The Bank of Mauritius strongly urges members of the public to exercise extreme

Safaricom, KCB to Leverage Mobile for New SME Partnership

Leading Kenyan telecom Safaricom and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) have formed a strategic partnership, with the first project a one-stop integrated solution that will cater to the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya. Biashara Smart is a set of communications and financing products, capacity building initiatives and reward programmes aimed at connecting,