Windhoek
FNB Namibia has once again come up with a product that is sure to set the nation on fire.
Desery van Wyk, the manager of cellphone banking, says that online banking customers will now be able to make one-off/ad-hoc eWallet payments, send money to multiple eWallets using the CSV payment file import template, add eWallet recipients to a folder and quickly make payments from their folders to all their regular eWallet recipients.
“One of our values in FNB Namibia states that we will be innovative and with this product we are most definitely living up to that value,” says Van Wyk.
“We can also add our mission statement which says that we are innovating value propositions delivered through e-fficient channels and bulk eWallet that fits part of the mission 100 percent.”
The revolutionary eWallet has been one of the biggest success stories of financial inclusion in the past two years and has changed the face of banking by assisting all unbanked citizens by giving them access to banking facilities without a bank account or bank card. More than 50 percent of the eWallets belong to non-FNB clients.
Bulk e-Wallet for business is available to all users who have been given payment permission on a transactional account linked to their Online Banking Enterprise Profile and can be found under:
Online Banking Enterprise: Payments > One-Off Payment Recipient > eWallet; Payments > From Folder > eWallet; Recipients > Folders.
“As with any new product we are certain people wish to know what costs are and can advise that a flat fee of N$6.01 is charged (VAT included),” explains Van Wyk.
Furthermore, people need to know that payments to an eWallet recipient are done like normal payments, while the eWallet account number is a valid Namibian cellphone number (MTC or tn mobile number).
Payments to an eWallet are processed on the date of the execution and are deducted from the nominated account at the time while being processed based on the available balance or online settlements as per normal payments.
Van Wyk adds: “Payments will be online payments that occur in real time; therefore confirmation of the success of the payment will be received immediately.”
Recipients of the eWallet can withdraw all or some of the money from the eWallet at any FNB ATM without needing a bank account or card. The rest of the money can be withdrawn at a later stage.
They can also buy prepaid airtime and electricity from the eWallet and even check the eWallet account balance or get a mini statement. There is a minimum of N$20 and a maximum amount of N$2 000 that can be paid into an eWallet.
An important part of FNB’s strategy is to move away from bricks, i.e. the actual branches and getting the customers to start clicking, namely, using ATMs, internet banking, cellphones, point of sale devices, and the like – all self-help channels which are safe, convenient, easy to use and much more affordable. This includes eWallet and now bulk eWallet.