United Bank for Africa, UBA, has taken another step towards revolutionising the face of e-banking in the industry with the introduction of Leo, the UBA Chat Banker which enables customers to make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions.
At the official launch of Leo which took place in Lagos customers of the bank were given a step by step demonstration on the novel way of delivering quality banking through the Facebook Messenger chat platform.
With the launch of the Chat Banking product, customers will be able to open new accounts, receive instant transaction notifications, transfer funds, top airtime and check their balances through their social media platform
Other benefits of the e-banking product include confirming cheques, payment of bills, application for loans, freezing of accounts and request for mini statements of accounts, among others.
Speaking at the launch, the Group Managing Director, UBA, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, said that the launch of Leo was part of the bank’s initiatives aimed at putting its customers first with UBA continuously developing strategies aimed at easing transactions for the bank’s numerous users, while ensuring utmost safety of their transactions.
He said the formulation of the new e-banking product was in line with the bank’s philosophy of customers first.
“The formulation of this product, is consistent with the bank’s customer first philosophy, where we are doing things not the way we like, but focusing on what the customers want, where they want it, and in the exact platform they want it.
“At UBA, we have been working with technology giants that have the global capacity to ensure not only seamless but also effortless banking for millions of our customers across Africa. We at UBA have collaborated with Facebook to come up with this innovation that is capable of revolutionising the way banking is done in Africa,” he said.
Uzoka noted that Leo would in the nearest future, show up on other social platforms and added that all it took to enjoy the services was simply to have a Facebook account.
While unveiling the character of Leo as the product is called, the UBA GMD stated: “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 and is easy to use by anyone.”
Also speaking at the launch of Leo, the Group Head of Online Banking at UBA, Mr. Austine Abolusoro, who conducted a step by step demonstration on the workings of Leo, reiterated the fact that Leo was not just a chat machine, but an artificial intelligence personality meant to address any type of banking concerns raised by customers.
“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 your account.”
He explained that the product Leo will make banking easy and simple for its teeming customers as the rigour of transaction will be reduce to mere chat on a social media platform like Facebook.
Apart from the latest e-banking product from the stable of the bank which is said to be the first by any financial institution in Nigeria or Africa, the bank has over the years churned out array of products to the banking public in its over 70 years of banking operation.
The roll call include, UBA Email Moni, UBA Video Banking, UBA Secure Pass, UBA Internet Banking, UBA Mobile Banking, U-Mobile, the country’s first mobile money services which enables a customer operates account with mobile phone and UBA Magic Banking, a full- fledged banking platform which is enabled by dialing *919# within Nigeria.
Also part of the UBA products are three trades related products which it launched in 2010 namely AfriCard, Afritrade and AfriCash.