KIGALI - BANQUE Populaire du Rwanda (BPR) has launched ‘Mobile Banking’ technology, which will save clients from having to make regular visits to BPR branches.

BPR which in the recent past transformed itself into a commercial bank has the most extensive network with 188 branches across the country.

The service dubbed ‘BPR Mobile Banking’ will help customers to conduct banking transactions via their mobile phone handsets, once they have subscribed to the latest technology.

BPR CEO, Ben Kalkman, said at the launch that the bank is targeting 300,000 users in the next two years.
"We already have 50,000 people who have signed up and our target is for every user to carry out between three to five transactions per month which is a good start,” Kalkman said

BPR has partnered with all the three telecom companies operating in the country. Kalkman explained that the service allows the user to log onto their accounts using their cell phone, as well as check their account balances, make payments and transfer money to their other BPR accounts. Users will also be able to purchase electricity, airtime, pay-phone bills, pay-TV monthly subscription, receive SMS alerts concerning salary, and order cheque books.

"The service is very cheap, less time consuming and user friendly,” said the CEO. Transfer of money costs Rwf 300 per transaction, checking balances costs Rwf 100 while the rest of the functions are free of charge.

"What is required is to register for the new service, be a subscriber of any of the telecom operators and to have a BPR account in an automated branch,” Kalkam said. Close to 40 BPR branches are automated countrywide.

Rwandatel’s Chief Commercial Officer, Francis Egbuson, welcomed the development, saying it was a convenient way to buy and sell airtime.

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