THERE are indications that two new banks, Premium Trust Bank and Sofri Bank,have been added to the list of licensed commercial banks in Nigeria.
While Premium Trust Bank unveiled its flagship branch at Trans Amadi in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, DLM Capital Group, a development investment bank, announced the unveiling of its digital bank, Sofri, a one-stop shop mobile app, to provide innovative, simple and convenient services to its stakeholders.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Premium Trust Bank, Emmanuel Emefienim, said plans were already underway to open five additional branches in the next 60 days, followed by 16 new branches across the country before the end of 2022.
According to him, the bank would roll out its digital platform in the 22 branches it ould inaugurate before the end of December to reach millions of unbanked Nigerians.
With the latest addition, the number of commercial banks (excluding digital/virtual) licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased to 24.
Emefienim said the bank would offer high-speed service delivery to customers.
He said the bank was delighted to begin operation in the nation’s deposit money banking industry considering the millions of discerning customers it hopes to serve across the country.
“Customers now have more options to make the kind of choice that will suit their businesses, with benefits to us, the customers, banking industry and the economy at large.
“We have realised that while all banks talk about and offer the same kind of service, the difference is in the execution of service.
“Talk is always cheap but the speed of execution is something that will speak for Premium Trust Bank in the industry,” Emefienim said.
Emefienim said the bank would leverage its advanced technology platforms to deliver speedy and world-class service to her customers.
He added, “We are going to be deliberate about this, considering that we know the people and market; we have the experience and understand the environment and business.
“Secondly, we will sit with our customers, extract from them what their specific needs are, and then co-create solutions towards meeting those needs.
“Consequently, customers will be part of the process and after engaging with them, we will proffer solutions and come up with products that are tailor-made to solving the problems.
“We are confident that Premium Trust Bank will become a household name in Nigeria – known for our preference for every discerning customer within the next five years.”
In the same vein, the Managing Director of Sofri Bank, Mr Funsho Idowu, in a statement last week, said that the bank would identify with the financial hassles of everyday living.
Idowu added that the bank portrays an easy access to providing solutions to problems, adding that the digital bank application which would be available on both Android and IOS stores, was designed as a one-stop-shop approach to all its users.
He said the application would include loans, investments and savings products.
“Sofri derives its brand name from the pidgin English expression ‘sofrisofri’ which translates to easy or stress-free.
“The Sofri app is designed to strengthen our commitment to our clients and provide them with access to renewed solutions especially in today’s digital world.
“This is part of our obligations to consistently provide innovative, simple and convenient services and to add value to our stakeholders.
“We also unveiled Sofri’s brand ambassador, Samuel Perry, popularly known as Broda Shaggi,” he added.
Idowu said the services of the bank would include savings, deposits, loans and investments.
According to him, Sofiri is a one-stop-shop digital bank with a vision to become an enabler of financial liberty as well as providing easy access to financial products.
Sofri is a subsidiary of DLM Capital Group.
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