By Tana Malinga
WHILE depositing and withdrawing of money often happen in banks, there’s another way also to do it.
Zibu Nqala, FNB’s points of presence CEO, believes banking services should be made accessable in spaza shops and small businesses across the country in order to make life easier for people unlike when they’ve to walk to malls to do so.
Speaking to the media at one of the small business outlet in Tembisa, he said:
“As financial inclusion continues to be a major challenge for many communities across South Africa, FNB is enabling access to basic banking services and cash in close proximity to both the unbanked and under banked individuals, through FNB AgencyPlus.”
AgencyPlus is a safe and convenient way for individuals to deposit cash into an FNB account and withdraw cash from their FNB account or eWallet at a local shop or small business registered as an AgencyPlus agent.
Users can also buy airtime and electricity through the solution.
Banking services are provided at the store (agents) via the FNB App or cellphone banking (USSD).
Their bank currently has 70 active agents in various regional communities across the country, including Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape.
Later this month, the bank is also looking forward to onboarding Spar Utrecht in KwaZulu-Natal and Engen Potchefstroom in North West as AgencyPlus agents.
Zibu said this initiative started last year and people seem to like it a lot.
He said it is unfortunate that in this day and age, a lack of access to basic banking services is still a challenge in this country.
“In line with our alternative distribution channel strategy, the combination of our nation-wide branch network, extensive ATM footprint with the inclusion of our newly introduced Kiosks’ in Pick n Pay and our growing AgencyPlus locations allows us to help more customers to manage their cash needs easily and conveniently.”
Andiswa Bata, CEO of FNB Business explains that AgencyPlus is designed to empower small businesses (agents) to expand the services they can offer to their own customers, all done conveniently while the customers’ shop.
