Nigerian banks to implement shared data base project in June 2013

Nigerian banks would start implementing the shared data base project in June to enhance consumer credit services in the sector, Godwin Imefile, the Managing Director, Zenith Bank Plc, disclosed to journalists at the end of the Bankers Committee meeting on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that the project would provide every bank customers and prospective customers a unique identification numbers that would help them to access loan for various projects.

"Your bio-metric information and thumb print is taken in; once you do this and all information is taken in bank A, and if tomorrow you want to open an account in bank B and you just show your number, an account can automatically be opened for you. Or, even if you say you have forgotten your number and bank B takes your finger print, your data pops out and it will be easy for the bank to identify you and for the customer to do banking transactions."

"We are hoping that by June or July, this project will be implemented." he added.

He recalled that the committee set up a committee of nine financial institutions last year to examine ways in which banks could boost consumer credit to borrowers in Nigeria.

"We observed that, we do not have a data bank where we have information about bank customers and we thought that setting up the customer identity management committee will help to build a data base."

Imefile, who also spoke on cashless Lagos, said the committee was satisfied with the level of success achieved, adding that the next step would be to move to business clustered areas of Lagos.

Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, said banks were working to ensure the success of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy as the pilot scheme kicked off in Borno.

Aig-Imoukhuede said Borno was chosen because of the high level of unfinanced population in the state.

He also said that the committee planned to increase the number of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) from the current 95 to more than 770 by 2020.

He added that efforts were being made to improve infrastructure to further enhance trade in Borno and the neighbouring states.

"If the financial inclusion strategy is followed to its logical conclusion it will be a template for broad economic development across Nigeria." Aig-Imoukhuede said.

(NAN)