making trades offs as convenient banking is not the same thing as cheap bankingEquity has been the fastest growing bank in the country over the last few years. It has won customers, now 1+ million, and has sent bigger banks banks back to the drawing board to woo & retain their customers.
However, while banking with them may not be cheap for a business, it is convenient, and offers finance and flexibility to an upcoming business. People coming from abroad complain about the cost of making mobile calls here – saying they are expensive. But compared to what? A taxi driver will make a 30 shilling mobile phone call to secure a 2,000 shilling job as his phone is his office.
Same with Equity their low entry minimums suit individuals and start ups. And while some of their charges are rather hefty (3% for ENC and 10% of amount for a temporary overdrafts), as a businesswoman told me today, their quick decision making and the fact that they are the only bank that can offer these facilities to her make them the optimal bank for now. Getting cheques cleared, guarantees, and payments to suppliers matter more to her now, than the cost of these services, and help her build a credit record for the future. Once she is more established,. she will look question the transaction costs and have other banks now wooing her business.
Other banking briefs According to
Africa confidential, Kenya is favored to be the new host country for the
African development bank, with Botswana second in the ranking. However Ivory Coast is back in the running following the signing of a peace accord. More on
homeless banks.
The CBR
Bank rate was
lowered from 10 to 8.5%
The Government has commissioned a study to look into the low uptake of youth enterprise fund and agriculture development funds. They are
blaming banks for asking borrowers for collateral and 3 month bank statements – terms which were not spelt out in the funds.
from an offline story from the East Africa:
CFC Stanbic bank
pre –merger comparisonsDiamond Trust acquired a majority shareholding in Diamond Trust in the just concluded rights issue.
Equity Bank- Looking to enter the money transfer business
- To buy
Housing Finance bank - what do the
bloggers say?
Family bank got admitted to the CBK bank clearing house earlier in June, just a few weeks after being licensed. Family took advantage and pressed for an exemption (on a two year waiting period), similar to that granted to Equity Bank when it also became a bank.
from an offline story from the standard National Bank is seeking to commit Ketan Somaia to civil jail over a 17 million debt
Pyramids schemes continue to
thrive despite numerous warnings. However, some schemes feeling a cash pinch are passing the blame to the central bank who are
limiting the interest they can pay depositors to 10% p.a. - before they were paying over 10% per month.
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