Firm Records N1bn Loan Disbursement

• Firm Records N1bn Loan Disbursement

Branch International, a digital financial firm, which majorly disburses instant loans through its mobile application (app) said it disbursed N1 billion loans since its inception one year ago.
The firm revealed this at media briefing in Lagos recently.

The Country Manager, Branch Nigeria, Mrs. Maria Rotilu, who disclosed this said: “We have been in the country for about a year now and the growth has been great. I think what is fascinating about it is that it underscores the fact that there is a need here.

“Since we started, we have issued over 100,000 loans with over 250,000 and we have disbursed over N1 billion.”

Also, the CEO & Co-founder Branch International Mr. Matthew Flannery said the mission of the firm is to provide world class financial services to the mobile generation, adding that it decided to start with loans because it is a way to appeal to the general public and gain lots of users.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working in Nigeria with Branch. The start-up community is incredibly dynamic, and the country is poised for a fintech explosion.

“The early response from our customers shows that there is a massive need for a product like Branch. We hope to play a significant role in increasing access to modern financial services in Nigeria over the next decade.”
Branch offers a unique proposition to the average Nigerian, providing users with access to instant loans on their mobile devices.

Android smartphone users can receive loans between N3,000 to N150,000 requiring no face-to-face meetings, lengthy application processes, collateral or paperwork.

“As branch customers repay their loan, they unlock access to larger loan amounts and more flexible terms. More than 75 per cent of customers use Branch loans to help start or grow their business or meet financial obligations. Notwithstanding, Branch has no restrictions on the usage of the loans; customers are given the independence to make their own financial decisions,” the firm explained.

“Unlike traditional financial institutions, Branch provides customers with the opportunity to build their credit regardless of their banking history by assessing their loan eligibility based on the data procured from customer’s smart phones,”the firm added.

RMB Pledges More Support for Arts

Rand Merchant Bank, a subsidiary of FirstRand Group in Nigeria has reaffirmed its resolve to supporting the Nigerian arts as well as the creative industry, even as it hailed the country’s business environment for being rewarding.

Speaking in Lagos recently, on the sidelines of the celebratory dinner, as part of activities marking the bank’s five years anniversary in Nigeria, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the newly launched Rand Merchant Bank Nigeria Stockbrokers Limited, Abiola Adekoya, said the bank believes in arts and would continue to partner to add value to the industry.

“The reality is that Rand Merchant Bank is a bank that believes in arts. So, we’re very focused on arts, and yesterday we had an art exhibition where we showcased two artists and three young and upcoming artists. “We’re very conscious of the art and we’re very focused on the arts,” Adekoya explained.

“And today was another way to celebrate the arts as well, and we said what better way to celebrate arts and celebrate our anniversary than by sharing it with our investors, our clients and also our members of staff who have worked so hard with us in the last couple of years.

“So, it’s really about appreciating our clients and what they’ve done with us in the past five years and also being able to celebrate together with our members of staff as well. Rand Merchant Bank has a commitment to being a partner in the art and we’ve done that severally. We always support them and we’ll always continue to support the arts,” she noted.

According to her, doing business in Nigeria has been very rewarding, adding: “we appreciate Nigeria, and Nigeria is a place where we’re committed to having a long-term presence.

“So, we like Nigeria, we’re very interested in the Nigerian community, and we want to continue to be proud of the Nigerian unifying system.”

Adekoya disclosed that the financial institution has lots of plans for Nigeria, reaffirming their commitment to the Nigerian economy.

“We’re present and we’re committed to serving Nigeria and serving our clients in Nigeria well.”