The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has appealed to all Micro-Finance Banks (MFBs) to key in their data into the National Microfinance Bank Unified Information Technology (NAMBUIT) platform for better service delivery.
Mr Joshua Etopidiok, the Director, Special Insured Institutions Department of the NDIC, made the appeal on Wednesday in Lagos at a workshop organised for members of Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN).
Etopidiok, who delivered a lecture entitled “Micro-Finance & Primary Mortgage Banks in Nigeria: COVID-19 Impact, Regulatory Response and Outlook”, said that the move would stimulate Digital Financial Services (DFS) in MFBs.
He said that no fewer than 911 MFBs and 34 Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) were currently operating in the country.
Etopidiok warned that any micro-finance bank that refused to transact its businesses online would gradually lose its customers, as they would be viewed as being unserious by customers.
He said that any MFB which wanted to promote its existence and sustain its relevance must necessarily embrace financial technology.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria and NDIC bankrolled the development of NAMBUIT to address cost of operation and assist MFBs to upscale in order to increase the financial inclusion in the country.
“Discussion and collaboration with Interswitch to provide solutions for CARDs on POS & ATMs, eWallets and instant transfers is being perfected.
“The NAMBUIT is built with user-friendly interface, flexible processing control logic to aid decision making,’’ he said.
Dr Kabir Katata, the Deputy Director, Research Department of NDIC, also in a lecture, stressed the need for authorities and players to collaborate in order to accelerate the financial inclusion agenda.
He, however, called for improved digital infrastructure to achieve the plan.
