NCBA Bank Group has unveiled two new digital platforms aimed at making banking faster, smarter and more secure for both individual and business customers, reinforcing its digital transformation strategy across the region.

NCBA NOW, a next-generation digital banking platform for retail customers, and NCBA ConnectPlus, a new corporate internet banking platform currently being piloted with selected customers ahead of a wider rollout, were presented on Thursday, July 23, as the lender stepped up efforts to deliver enhanced banking services.

The platforms were unveiled in Kigali as part of a simultaneous rollout across Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. NCBA Group operates 115 branches across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Côte d'Ivoire, while its digital ecosystem serves more than 68 million customers.

Maurice Toroitich, Managing Director of NCBA Bank Rwanda, said the platforms were designed following extensive consultations with customers to address changing banking needs.

"For many years, businesses competed on the quality of products, the strength of the brand or the size of the branch network. Increasingly, businesses are competing on something different: speed," Toroitich said.

"As businesses evolve, efficiency, accuracy and intelligent systems become critical. That's the thinking behind what we are unveiling today."

He said the bank focused on understanding customer behaviour before developing the platforms.

"We spent a lot of time listening to customers and understanding the flows of transactions and decisions. We've built all that into the platforms we are unveiling today."

Toroitich added that the bank will continue refining the platforms based on customer feedback.

"We would like customers to continue giving us feedback because technology keeps changing and so should our solutions."

Banking at customers' fingertips

NCBA NOW is now live and allows retail customers to manage accounts, transfer funds, send money to banks and mobile wallets, pay merchants and utility bills, purchase airtime, monitor transactions, manage payment cards, apply for loans and access savings products through a secure digital platform.

Available through smartphones, internet banking and USSD (*650#), the platform supports Kinyarwanda, English, French and Kiswahili.

Demonstrating the platform, Catherine Ngali, Senior Manager for Channels and Product Development at NCBA Group, said customers increasingly expect banking services to be available anytime and anywhere.

"NCBA NOW is more than a banking application. It is a personal banker, a service centre and a financial management tool designed around the way our customers live and work today."

She said customers can transfer money to other banks as well as MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money through the bank's eCash partnership, pay merchants, settle obligations to the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), manage payment cards and access a range of banking services digitally without visiting a branch.

A smarter way to manage business banking

The bank also introduced NCBA ConnectPlus, a next-generation corporate internet banking platform currently under pilot testing.

Once fully rolled out, the platform will enable businesses, SMEs and institutions to manage multiple accounts, process supplier and payroll payments, monitor liquidity in real time, download financial reports and approve transactions through secure role-based workflows.

According to the bank, ConnectPlus will also support domestic and international payments, scheduled transactions, standing instructions, liquidity management and cross-border banking across NCBA Group's regional network.

Toroitich said early feedback from pilot customers has been encouraging.

Teddy Ndayambaje, Head of Corporate Banking at NCBA Bank Rwanda, said the platform was developed in response to customer feedback.

"We listened because as your business evolves, your bank must evolve with you."

"Banking should adapt to your business and not the other way around."

He added that the new platform is intended to give businesses greater control over their financial operations.

"It is about strengthening our partnership with you by providing greater control, stronger governance, faster approvals and real-time visibility into financial operations."

Building on a strong digital lending legacy

The launch builds on NCBA Bank Rwanda's growing digital banking footprint. Through MoKash, developed in partnership with MTN MoMo Rwanda, the bank has financially included more than five million Rwandans, around 60 per cent of them youth, while facilitating about 10,000 digital loans every day.

NCBA Group's mobile lending and savings platforms in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Côte d'Ivoire have reached 29.8 million customers and facilitated more than $1.19 billion in loans.

In Kenya, M-Shwari, a mobile banking service managed by Safaricom and NCBA Bank, has served 32 million customers, disbursing more than $6 billion, while Fuliza, a mobile overdraft service offered by Safaricom in Kenya in partnership with NCBA and KCB Bank, processes over 3.5 million transactions daily and has disbursed more than $22.4 billion since its launch.

Toroitich said the launch underscores the bank's commitment to investing in technology that enhances customer experience while maintaining high standards of security and reliability.

"The time is now. These platforms are ready for you. We encourage customers to use NCBA NOW, continue giving us feedback and help us make both platforms even better as your businesses and banking needs continue to evolve."