Ecobank Rwanda has opened another branch at Gisimenti, Remera in an effort to extend her banking services closer to its clients. Daniel Sackey, the Managing Director said that the opening of the 11th branch in a suburb of Kigali City was a continued implementation of a previous strategy to increase the network of branches across the country and get banking services closer to customers. “Now those that come from Remera, Kicukiro and near by areas don’t have to come to the city center to withdraw their money. We wish these facilities to be as closer as possible,” Sackey said. James Musoni, Minister of Finance who presided over the inauguration on Friday, hailed the bank’s efforts that have seen a tremendous recovery since Ecobank Transnational Incorporated took over the 90 percent stake of Rwanda’s Commercial Bank of Development and Industry (BCDI). This year the same bank was presented with several accolades including, the ‘Best Banker Award’, ‘Banker of the Year Award’ and the ‘Most Innovative Bank’ in Africa. The minister said that banking services are still concentrated in the urban areas and need to reach the grass roots. “The rural sector is lacking financial facilities to participate in trade. There is a need to move beyond urban to rural areas,” he stressed. Ecobank started mid this year seeking for a banking licence in Uganda. Ecobank a West African Owned Bank started aggressively spreading into East Africa in 2007 when it acquired a stake into BCDI. Ends
