Ecobank Takes Financial Inclusion To Tertiary Campuses
Thousands of students across various tertiary institutions in the country have been on-boarded on the Ecobank Mobile App, as the lender’s financial inclusion campaign on campuses, titled: “Ecobank Xpress Campus Storm” currently sweeps across the country’s universities and polytechnics.
The campaign, flagged off in May, has since visited the University of Lagos, Akoka, the Yaba College of Technology, University of Benin, and is currently in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
The first phase of this initiative will cover 24 universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta; University of Abuja and University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, among others.Speaking on the successes recorded so far, the bank’s Head, Consumer Marketing, Ikechukwu Kalu, said the concept of the campus storm is part of a holistic youth engagement campaign across Nigeria.
He explained that the initiative, a youth engagement program in tertiary institutions across Nigeria is part of efforts to deepen financial inclusion by banking the youth, which also aligns with the bank’s strategy to make banking available to the hitherto unbanked and underbanked in support of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive.
“The Campus Storm avails students of tertiary institutions the opportunity to open the Ecobank Xpress account, a digital account that requires no documentation, minimum balance or paperwork, simply by downloading the Ecobank Mobile app.
“With the Ecobank Xpress account, students will be able to access financial services such as airtime top up, funds transfer and bill payment from their mobile devices. Parents and guardians will also be able to transfer money to their children’s Xpress accounts, which they can withdraw without a card at any Ecobank ATM (using Xpress Cash) or Xpress Point”, he noted.
He explained that at the various campuses, the bank sets up free WiFi centres tagged the ‘Xpress Corner’, which gives students opportunity for free Internet browsing and also affords the chance to win exciting prizes during the activation.“We are highly impressed with the turnout of students, as well as youths, to enlist in the Ecobank Xpress account across the schools we have so far visited. This has again portrayed us as a youth-friendly bank.“The activation is actually to empower young people by offering them convenient, affordable and accessible financial services anytime, anywhere from their mobile.”
