In this era of technology, smartphones have become a tool of our daily activities, from googling the trending news to requesting services online, it is all done using a smartphone. Particularly, during this time that Rwanda and the world are battling with Covid-19 pandemic, most of the services have gone virtual. Among the sectors that have embraced virtual operations, the financial sector has adopted online and mobile banking services. Cogebanque was not left behind, rather it is among the best in Rwanda. Its services include a mobile wallet that enables clients to access different financial services without physically visiting its branches or meeting agents, but using Coge mBank app. Having been launched in 2018, the app aims at enabling its clients access banking services without necessarily visiting the branch. The app is available on Play store and Apple store. It gives you access to open up an account, check your balance, send and receive money (via bank accounts and mobile money), recharge your prepaid MasterCard and pay different bills namely water, electricity and airtime to mention a few. The application also provides the clients with information of which branches or ATMs are nearer to their location, the latest foreign exchange rates and information regarding their bank statement. In his interview with this paper, Jean Francois Regis Tuyishime, in charge of Remittances at Cogebanque, said that this app was provided to scale up clients’ access to financial services. “The bank has initiated this app to facilitate its clients to get the financial services they need in a swift manner, but it was also in-line with the government’s plan to scale up e-commerce as the only fast and trusted method of payment,” he noted. Tuyishime also adds that this mobile banking app is feasible and time-saving: “Another reason is that this mobile banking app is time-saving as it reduces time that our clients spend on long lines waiting to get the service they need,” he continues. The mobile banking officer also declares that the bank is planning to add more services like loan application through the Coge-mBank app for a better service delivery. Clients who have worked with Cogebanque and particularly used the Coge-mBank app, also testify its rapidity, feasibility and time saving benefits. Gad Ishimwe testifies of how he wanted to urgently withdraw money, found the bank’s branch closed, but Coge-mBank came to his rescue. “I once visited Karongi branch on Sunday evening and I needed a quick and urgent service and I found it was closed, so they explained to me that I can use Coge mBank and it came to my rescue in that way,” he recounts. In his six years as a client of Cogebanque, he testifies that he obtains a service anytime anywhere he needs it. The same views are echoed by Dushime Fabrice and Gatare Tente Alice who observe that apart from being a time-saving app, it is also trusted as money is secure as long as it is not always in a physical movement. Upon setting its footprints in Rwanda, 22 years ago, Cogebanque had already opened 28 branches nationwide with 36 ATMs . Also, 600 agents of the bank are facilitating customers access different services across the corners of the country. Those include account opening, depositing, withdrawing and making account transfers. The bank also facilitates the clients to access a USSD code services (*505#), smart cash card and all MasterCards-facilitated card payment options that help customers to pay and transact globally.
