United Bank for Africa (UBA), one of the topmost banks in Nigeria has upped the ante of e-banking with the launch of an audacious banking application called Leo.
Leo is a UBA chat banking personality that enables its customers make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions.
At the official launch of Leo, the face of UBA’s chat banking, which took place in Lagos on Thursday, customers of the bank were given a step by step demonstration on how to make use of Facebook messenger chat function to enjoy banking services through chat sessions, thus representing a way of delivering lifestyle.
Leo is a first of it’s kind for financial institutions in Africa. With the launch of the chat banking which has already taken-off in the Facebook Messenger, customers will be able to open new accounts, receive instant transaction notifications, check their balances on the go, transfers and airtime top up.
Also, users will be able to perform other transactions using the chat banking; including payments of bills, data top-up, mini-statements, loan applications; cheque confirmation, account freezing, among others.
Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, Group Managing Director, UBA said: “The formulation of this product, is consistent with the bank’s customer 1st philosophy, where we are doing things not the way we like, but exactly what the customers want, where they want it, and in the exact platform they want.
“And so, we have been working with technology giants from around the world because for UBA with so many customers, we have to deal with those who have the global capacity. Therefore, we at UBA have collaborated with Facebook to come up with this. In future, Leo will show up with other platforms. All you need to do is to have an account with Facebook,” he said.
Also, users will be able to perform other transactions using the chat banking; including payments of bills, data top-up, mini-statements, loan applications; cheque confirmation, account freezing, among others.
Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, Group Managing Director, UBA, who spoke during the meet Leo launch, said: “The formulation of this product, is consistent with the bank’s customer 1st philosophy, where we are doing things not the way we like, but exactly what the customers want, where they want it, and in the exact platform they want.
“And so, we have been working with technology giants from around the world because for UBA with so many customers, we have to deal with those who have the global capacity. Therefore, we at UBA have collaborated with Facebook to come up with this. In future, Leo will show up with other platforms. All you need to do is to have an account with Facebook,” he said.
“Leo being an intelligent personality will give you feedback instantaneously as you transact your business on the platform. A solution that is from the customer’s standpoint which is easy to use by anyone regardless of your career,” the GMD added.
On his part, Mr. Austine Abolusoro, Group Head, Online Banking, said: “Leo is ready and waiting to help with most transactions and to deliver any form of banking services. Leo is operating a lifestyle banking platform on facebook messenger to assist with your transactions while chatting with your friends and business partners. The security with this platform is that for every transaction, an OTP (One Time Password) is generated to the phone number that is registered on the account.”
He explained that the UBA chat banking with Leo was not just the typical products that we see, it comes with the product that anybody will understand to ease transactions and help to keep up the lifestyle of individuals, adding that it is designed from the customer’s standpoint.
