Tanzania:AccessBank launches RAHISI

No opening fee, no maintenance fee, free and unlimited services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the country through your mobile phone.

AccessBank, one of the country’s fastest growing banks, announces today the launch of its unprecedented “RAHISI” powered by AccessMobile (full mobile banking services). The move offers all clients a completely new experience of “free & unlimited” services. This has been possible through the partnership that AccessBank has established with Selcom Wireless, the partner both for mobile banking and as well as for agent banking services.

With RAHISI powered by AccessMobile, clients are now able to enjoy all banking services FREE OF CHARGE:

·         Free account opening and free maintenance

·         Free deposit and withdrawals over the counter at any branch

·         Free funds transfer (to bank account, M-pesa, Airtel money and Tigo pesa)

·         Free bill payments (Luku, Dawasco, DSTV and many more)

·         Free  money management  (view balances & mini statements)

·         Free airtime top ups (Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo and Zantel)

Powered by AccessMobile, RAHISI aims to become the primary product for business customers fitting all their transactional needs, be it making payments to their friends, family or business partners, or paying utility bills, buying mobile top ups or just simply use their mobile phone for money management. RAHISI can also serve the individual customer who wants a very flexible way to use his money on his bank account with no fees to pay for.

Roland Coulon, the Chief Executive Officer of AccessBank Tanzania said: “The launch of RAHISI reflects the Bank’s focus on financial inclusion in Tanzania and at the same time a new commitment to bring to life a very innovative pricing strategy where customers don’t have to pay to access their money and make payments.  Unlike other pricing models that prevail in the market today where the customers pay every time they use their money, RAHISI allows customers to benefit from “free & unlimited” services through their mobile phones.”

Andrea Ottina, Head of Branchless Banking and Business Development added: “The launch of RAHISI is indeed a small ‘revolution’ in the payment and banking sectors. This new service offers our customers the opportunity to save unlimited amount of time and money by making free payments and free transfers enhancing significantly the ease of doing business and quality of life. This product launch has been made possible through AccessMobile the already successful mobile banking services of AccessBank.”

Sameer Hirji, Executive Director of Selcom Tanzania commented: “We are very proud to be the key partner of AccessBank and to be supporting the launch of RAHISI powered by AccessMobile. With AccessBank we have been instrumental in extending mobile financial services in extremely innovative ways to thousands of customers and together we have managed to bring interoperability to a completely new level in terms of convenience and pricing”.

AccessBank Tanzania (ABT) is a commercial bank with a special focus on microfinance. With very strong international shareholders such as AccessHolding, International Finance Corporation (World Bank), KfW, African Development Bank and MicroVest, ABT’s vision is to be committed to the development of financial systems that support social progress by rendering services to all people with the same ambition for excellence and quality.