As part of its corporate actions to cushion the effects of the lockdown over the Coronavirus (Covid-19) spread, Ecobank Nigeria is boosting customers with a zero charge on digital money transfers below N5,000.
Disclosing this in Lagos, the Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan, said the policy, which started in March and will run till April 30, 2020, is meant to encourage citizens to adopt digital banking, which “supports safety measures, particularly the social distancing campaign to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
According to him, the bank’s priority is peoples’ wellbeing. To that end, it is determined to support everyone in the face of the unplanned shutdown, which already has a huge economic impact on citizens.
He reiterated that users of Ecobank Mobile, Ecobank Online, USSD-Ecobank *326# and Omni Lite are now charged zero fee for their transfers below N5,000. Until now, customers who performed transactions on the bank’s platform by dialling *326# did so free of the USSD session fee.
“We are determined to support the Nigerian government and ensure that the impact of the business shutdown is minimal on the citizens,” he said.
“We encourage our customers to utilise our digital self-service solutions, including Ecobank Mobile App, Ecobank Online, EcobankPay, Ecobank OmniPlus, Omni Lite and the RapidTransfer App without having to visit the branches. This is part of our efforts to ensure social distancing, which will help curtail the spread of COVID-19.
“By utilising these digital offerings, you can easily access your bank accounts, make payments, transfer funds, process salaries, and carry out your other ancillary banking transactions from the comfort of your home and office without visiting the branch.”
Also speaking, the Head of Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Mrs. Olukorede Demola-Adeniyi, urged customers yet to upgrade to the new Ecobank Mobile App 4.0 to quickly do so.
She explained that the app is available for all banking transactions because of its versatility and salient benefits, including the ability to send money to anyone via email or SMS by simply selecting the recipient from the sender’s contacts, and sending money to receiver’s email or phone number.
Also, the recipients will be able to get the money using any bank account, even if they do not have an Ecobank account.
It also gives the app users the ability to create virtual cards for safe shopping, and the convenience of a virtual card without worrying about it being linked to their accounts, as customers can create several virtual cards.
More so, it affords users the “ability to split bills without fuss, enabling you to share expenses as you desire with friends and family, who will simply get notifications on what they need to refund you. It’s a smart way to get your money back without hounding.”
Demola-Adeniyi added that the Ecobank Mobile app supports customers to pay the fast and stress-free way with EcobankPay by simply scanning the QR code or dialling *326*6*Amount*Terminal ID# to pay.
“It saves you PoS charges and less human contact. When next you are at the store and need to pay, just ask the merchant for EcobankPay. Regardless of what you want to achieve, the Ecobank Mobile App is available for you.”