Bank Customers Spend N1.7bn on Airtime in 2017 – FirstBank

• Bank Customers Spend N1.7bn on Airtime in 2017 – FirstBank

Despite FirstBank accounting for just 37 percent of the total bill payment transactions on ATMs across the country, bank customers spent a total of N1.7 billion on airtime through FirstBank’s ATM in 2017, a statement issued by the bank on Monday affirmed.

A total of 402,102 bill payments were performed via FirstBank’s ATMs in 2017, this the bank attributed to its leadership position and convenience when it comes to the Bank’s Automated Teller Machines.

According to the statement: “FirstBank is presently leading in the industry as the bank with the highest number of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), with 2,897 ATMs deployed across Nigeria, making it the nation’s financial institution with the widest retail footprint. The bank’s ATMs have unique functional features which include bills payment, cash transfer, airtime top-up, cash deposit among others.

“FirstBank is currently responsible for over 15 percent of interbank transactions and 21 percent of airtime vending. As active mobile network users in Nigeria are over 142 million and the need to recharge is on the increase, the bank’s ATMs also provide the platform for convenient and easy top-up.”

The Bank’s Head of E-Business, Chuma Ezirim, said the desire to reach out to more people across the country is the reason for the noticeable developments in FirstBank ATMs.

“FirstBank is positioned to meet the needs of its customers and to reach out to the under banked and unbanked. Our mission is to remain relevant in the lives of our customers by continually working at making banking services a more convenient experience for our customers. The bank’s ATMs dispensed over N2.8 trillion between January and December 2017″, he further stated.