EFInA grants $1.5m to Diamond Bank

Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA), has announced the release of $1, 500, 000 (421, 500, 00) Innovation Grant to support Diamond Bank’s Diamond Y’ello, ‘Winning the North’ project to boost financial inclusion to unbanked individuals nationwide.

Diamond Y’ello is a mobile based savings account launched by Diamond Bank in partnership with MTN to make financial services easily accessible for individuals excluded from the formal banking ecosystem and the project allows customers with active MTN lines to open a bank account with Diamond Bank from the convenience of their homes.

It is expected to introduce additional channels of customer interactions including an interactive voice responder (IVR), bill payments platform, card-less ATMs, micro loans and insurance.

The EFInA Innovation Grant will enable Diamond Bank target and extend facilities to prospective customers in Northern Nigeria –Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara and Borno States.

Chief Executive Officer of EFInA, Mrs. Chidinma Lawanson, said that the Diamond Y’ello Account project seeks to drive financial inclusion by addressing the barrier of proximity to financial services through digital financial services and agent banking, while also serving as an effective means of deepening financial literacy nationally.

Lawanson said, “This aligns with EFInA’s objectives to increase access to financial products and services to the low income population, especially women.

According to the EFInA Access to Financial Services in Nigeria 2014 survey, the North East and North West geopolitical zones have more financially excluded people than the other geopolitical zones. In that regard, we look forward to our partnership with Diamond Bank to extend financial services in Northern Nigeria.

“The EFInA Access to Financial Services in Nigeria 2014 survey revealed that 57.1 million adults have never had a deposit money bank account, 16.3 percent indicated that they did not operate an account because commercial banks were far away from them.

The study also found out that 42.7 percent of women are financially excluded as compared to 35.8 percent of the men. We believe this project will go a long way to correct these anomalies, she said.”

Also, Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Bank Plc, Mr. Uzoma Dozie, said that the Diamond Y’ello is structured to make affordable financial services available to everyone regardless of their level of income.

Dozie explained that the account is opened without the documentation and other rigors associated with traditional accounts, stating, “We are aware that the future of financial inclusion is digital and we aim to use this product to bring banking to everyone no matter your income, where you live or the type of mobile handset you are using.

“Diamond Bank expects that the Diamond Y’ello will provide easy access to a broad range of financial products to the un(der)bankedpopulation, designed according to their needs, at an affordable cost. With Diamond Y’ello accounts, customers are able to make all types of payments, save and make retail collection, microcredit and insurance transactions.