UBA launches chat banker on Facebook Messenger to ease e-banking transactions

United Bank for Africa (UBA) has launched an e-banking solution, Leo Chat Banker, to enable customers use their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions.

At the official launch of Leo, which took place in Lagos Thursday, customers of the bank were given a step-by-step demonstration on the novel way of delivering lifestyle and quality banking through the Facebook Messenger chat platform.

“This is the first time that a financial institution in Africa has come up with this manner of solution to simplify the way customers transact. Something that has become necessary in today’s fast-paced world with demands for quick-time transactions and response,” a statement from the bank read.

With the Leo Chat Banker customers would be able to open new accounts, receive instant transaction notifications, check their balances on the go, transfer funds and airtime top up. They could also confirm cheques, pay bills apply for loans, freeze accounts, request for mini statements, amongst other things.

At the launch event, Kennedy Uzoka, group managing director of UBA, said the launch of Leo was part of initiatives aimed at putting the bank’s customers first with UBA continuously developing strategies aimed at easing transactions for the bank’s numerous users, while ensuring utmost safety of their transactions.

“The formulation of this product, is consistent with the bank’s customer 1st 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,” he noted, adding that the bank had been working with technology giants that have the global capacity to ensure not only seamless but also effortless banking for millions of its 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.

He noted that Leo will in the nearest future, show up on other social platforms and added that all it takes to enjoy the services is simply to have a Facebook account.

“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,” he stressed.

Austine Abolusoro, group head of online banking at UBA, explained that Leo is 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 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,” Abolusoro noted.

UBA was incorporated in Nigeria as a limited liability company after taking over the assets of the British and French Bank Limited who had been operating in Nigeria since 1949. The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. merged with Standard Trust Bank in 2005 and from a single country operation founded in 1949 in Nigeria – Africa’s largest economy – UBA has become one of the leading providers of banking and other financial services on the African continent.