Banking
Access Bank Deploys Strategies to Dominate Agency Banking
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Tier-one financial institution in Nigeria, Access Bank Plc, is not resting on its oars despite recently hitting a milestone of having 100,000 banking agents spread across the country.
The lender is planning to dominate agency banking business in Nigeria and to achieve this, it wants to further increase its footprint by having a minimum of 50 agents in each of the 774 LGAs across the country.
According to the bank, this is part of efforts to deepen financial inclusion, increase its customer base and deepen the wallet share of the banking population through the Access Closa agency banking platform.
In a chat with newsmen recently, the Group Head of Agency Banking at Access Bank, Ms Chizoba Iheme, noted that due to the limited number of financial institutions, especially in rural areas, Access Closa is Access Bank’s strongest retail channel used in providing banking services to a large population of unserved and underserved Nigerians.
“Our plan is to bank one in two Nigerians as this will see us increase our customer base and deepen our wallet share of the banking population.
“Going by the high youth and adult population, the resources of Nigeria’s financial institutions are being overstretched in providing physical and human resources and were unable to cope with gaps that existed in meeting banking needs of Nigerians hence the need for Agency Banking as envisaged by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2013,” Ms Iheme was quoted as saying in a statement from the lender on Wednesday.
“Therefore, agency banking helps financial institutions decongest crowded branches by providing a matching and more often convenient channel for their customers. In instances where reaching customers in rural areas is often highly expensive for financial institutions because transaction numbers and volumes do not cover the cost of a branch, agency banking helps in serving them,” she added.
The banker said becoming an agent has become a means to empower and reduce unemployment in Nigeria, noting that, “Our commission structure allows an agent to earn up to N500,000 and more monthly in commission including incentives and opportunities for agents to grow their business and partner with a reputable brand is an attraction to the Closa brand.”
Furthermore, on risks associated with agency banking in the country and how Access Banks moves to mitigate it, she added: “There are four major risks that we have identified. These are technological, legal, and fraud/reputational assets.
“Technological Risk, to prevent software and hardware failures, the bank is investing in new infrastructure with the capacity to absorb service disruptions that will have minimal impact. As part of our onboarding process, the bank’s agents are required to execute a service agreement that stipulates the roles and responsibilities of each party.”
“Also, agents are trained at the point of activation on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Terrorism Financing. This training also takes place every year to reiterate the dangers and consequences associated with fraudulent actions.
“Besides, the bank has set a maximum daily limit on the amount and frequency of transactions that can be performed by an agent. Lastly, a quarterly risk profiling exercise is carried out on all agents for effective management,” Ms Iheme added.
Access Bank is the leading retail bank in Nigeria with over 600 branches and more than 40 million customers. The bank offers products and services tailored to suit the lifestyle of every Nigerian irrespective of age and demographic.
By Dipo Olowookere
Tech enthusiasts interested in participating in the Take on Squad Hackathon, organised by Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, can now enter the contest via the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
The programme enters its third edition in 2026, and the theme for this year is Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy, according to a statement issued by the organisers.
The hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors, including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion.
Participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
It is part of the organisation’s commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
“Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve.
“Through Take on Squad Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future.
“Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact.
“This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress,” the Managing Director of HabariPay, Ms Eduofon Japhet, stated.
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
By Dipo Olowookere
Banking services will not be interrupted throughout the Easter public holidays, from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026, for any reason, Ecobank Nigeria has assured its customers.
In a message over the weekend, the member of Africa’s leading pan-African banking group, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, said customers would continue to enjoy quality service delivery during the period.
It noted that its secure and robust digital platforms would remain fully operational to support financial activities during the festive period.
All digital channels, including the Ecobank Mobile App, Ecobank Business App, USSD *326#, Ecobank Online, OmniPlus, Omnilite, EcobankPay, Ecobank Cards, ATMs, PoS terminals, and over 35,000 Ecobank Xpress Point agent locations nationwide, will remain accessible throughout the holiday, the financial institution further said, urging customers to conveniently conduct transactions at any time using this wide range of digital solutions.
Ecobank customers were encouraged to maximise the bank’s alternative channels for transfers, bill payments, airtime purchases, card services, and account management.
They were also advised to stay vigilant by shopping only on trusted websites; avoiding the sharing of PINs, passwords, and one-time passwords (OTPs); refraining from banking on public Wi-Fi networks; being cautious of urgent or emotionally charged messages; and regularly monitoring their account activity.
“Customers will continue to enjoy a full bouquet of services during the holiday, including local and international funds transfers, bill payments, airtime top-ups, merchant payments, balance enquiries, account statements, and cardless cash withdrawals via ATMs,” the Head of Products & Analytics, Consumer & Commercial Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Victor Yalokwu, stated.
“We understand that festive seasons come with increased financial activity, and our priority is to ensure our customers enjoy fast, reliable, and secure banking wherever they are.
“Our digital channels are designed to support uninterrupted transactions, and we have strengthened our systems to guarantee optimal performance throughout the Easter break,” he added.
Mr Yalokwu noted that, “Ecobank remains committed to providing innovative financial solutions and exceptional customer service. We wish all our customers and partners a peaceful and joyful Easter celebration.”
By Dipo Olowookere
Customers may have difficulty accessing the digital platform of Polaris Bank, known as VULTe, during the Easter holidays from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026.
This is because the financial institution is carrying out system maintenance on the platform in its effort to ensure users enjoy a better banking experience.
In a notice over the weekend, the lender said “access to VULTe may be limited,” but it provided an alternative, which is the PolarisXperience.
Polaris Bank, which expressed regret over “any inconvenience” this action may cause its customers, said the “scheduled system maintenance” would happen from 10 pm to 8 am daily, promising that normal service would return after the maintenance.
“In continuation of our commitment to delivering a seamless and improved banking experience, we will be conducting a scheduled system maintenance during the Easter holidays.
“During this period, access to VULTe may be limited. We have provided an alternative channel, PolarisXperience:
“Please go to our website to onboard or use it as an existing user. You can also use this link: (https://elogin.polarisbanklimited.com).
“We regret any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Normal service will resume after the maintenance,” parts of the notice seen by Business Post read.
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