Standard Bank launches banking app to four African markets
Adrian Vermooten, Standard Bank
Standard Bank in South Africa has launched its existing banking app to four additional African markets.
The app is now available in Uganda, Namibia, Ghana and Botswana; with plans to roll it out to Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe by the end of 2016.
The latest development is part of its drive to “enhance its digital customer interface in Africa”.
“Essentially this is one of the first mobile banking interfaces in Africa that allows our bank customers access to their accounts across multiple countries within the Standard Bank Group,” says Adrian Vermooten, head customer channels Africa, Standard Bank.
The bank says the app takes advantage of smartphone “sophistication” such as biometrics for secure access, access to device contacts, and social networks for sharing of information.
Future releases of the app in late 2016 will include additional features such as real-time payments, online account opening and “numerous other value-added services for individuals and businesses”.
Standard Bank operates in 32 countries around the world, including 20 in Africa.
Out of Africa
There have been a number of other recent fintech developments across Africa.
ALTX East Africa launched its new exchange in Uganda – offering the ability to handle 150,000 transactions per second.
South African heavyweight Absa became the first bank in Africa to join New York-based R3’s blockchain consortium.
Greece-based banking software vendor Intrasoft International launched its African subsidiary. Kenya-based Intrasoft International East Africa will sell and implement the vendor’s flagship core banking system, Profits.
Standard Chartered announced it was bringing its mobile and online banking platform to eight countries in Africa.
