REFLECTING ON MYBANKTRACKER'S 2014 BANKING PREDICTIONS

Well, 2014 is coming to a close. It's that time when MyBankTracker reflects on thebanking trends that we predicted would take focus in the past year. See how accurate -- or inaccurate -- we were at forecasting the trends in banking.

Prediction: Branches get smaller, smarter - CORRECT
In the past few years, the idea of branch banking has evolved greatly. Last year, we saw big banks like Chase, Wells Fargo and PNC experiment with branches that were smaller and more focused on digital technology. This year, we believed that these next-generation branch concepts would catch fire and more banks would consider shrinking their branches.

We were right, as major banks like TD Bank, SunTrust Bank and Regions Bank have also revealed that they're piloting such branches. Compared to their typical branches, these new branches tend to dispel the idea of tellers. Instead, bankers roam the branch floor to educate and assist customers with a wide range of products and services.

Meanwhile, ATMs got smarter. They can disperse bills in multiple denominations down to a single $1. Furthermore, some ATMs allow customers to video-chat with live tellers.

'SHADOW BANKING' SET FOR BREAKOUT YEAR IN 2015

As traditional banks face tighter restrictions and the demand for credit grows, a clear winner is beginning to emerge.

Recovering from the black eye it received during the dark days of the financial crisis, the unregulated shadow banking system continues to gather both assets and attention, the latter from industry insiders who believe the climate is right for strong growth ahead.

A recent report from the Financial Stability Board put assets for nonbank lending institutions at $75 trillion after growing more than 7 percent in 2013.

While the FSB has been pushing hard for new rules governing shadow banks, most focus on reporting requirements so regulators can get a better understanding of how much risk is posed to the broader banking system. The board believes it's important, though, to maintain a healthy industry

"The current regulatory reform agenda, led by the FSB, has yielded important progress. However, many of the agreed principles have not yet been implemented nationally," the board wrote in its Global Financial Stability Report. "The challenge for policymakers is to strike the right balance between containing systemic vulnerabilities related to shadow banking risks and preserving the benefits of shadow banks."

BANKING CULTURE ENCOURAGES DISHONESTY

What is it about the financial sector that encourages bad behavior?

December 30, 2014 |By Francesca Gino

Opportunity beckons 
Credit: Jacob Wackerhausen/Thinkstock

Across the globe, many people and institutions suffered large costs from the 2008 financial meltdown. Among the victims is the financial sector itself—whose reputation has been questioned after scandals involving the manipulation of interest rates and fraudulent deals. In trying to make sense of the crisis, some have pointed the fingers to individual bankers and banks, others to institutional pressures. But new research suggests that one important cause may reside elsewhere: in the banking culture itself. A paper recently published in Nature magazine found that the financial sector’s culture encourages dishonesty.

This is an important finding, as it suggests that good conduct starts with having the right culture. Finance CEOs and upper management need to change cultural norms, so that they can model good behavior at all levels of banks and assure that performance incentives don’t inadvertently reward dishonesty. But what, you may be wondering, is unique about banking culture? The fact that there is a lot of focus on money and number crunching.

CUSTOMER ANALYTICS IS KEY TO GROWTH IN BANKING

Understanding customers is the foundation to a sustainable competitive advantage in banking. Therefore, financial marketers can no longer wait to embrace the power of advanced analytics to gain insights and evaluate opportunities that will improve cross-selling, up-selling and enhance share of wallet.

By Jim Marous, Publisher of Retail Banking Strategies for The Financial Brand and Publisher of the Digital Banking Report

In a report from Celent entitled, Customer Analytics in Banking: Why Here, Why Now?, senior analyst, Bob Mearawrites that now is the time for banks and credit unions to leverage the advances in processing, memory, database design and analytic methods to improve performance and reduce costs. While the Celent analyst notes that some institutions are already on the path of using advanced analytics for decisioning and optimization, other organizations have only limited experience (this correlates with several other studies).

It is also noted that financial marketers need to extract more value from internal and external data sources, guiding product development, customer communication, innovation and growth. According to Celent, the use of advanced analytics in banking is correlated to the size of organization even though the cost of processing data is no longer as much of a barrier as even five years ago.

TANZANIA SETS REVENUE TARGET TO REDUCE DONOR AID

Finance Minister Saada Mkuya displays a briefcase containing the 2014/2015 budget.

Tanzania has set a target of revenue collection of nearly 20 per cent of GDP by 2018.

A national identification project, which is aimed at helping the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to expand the revenue base and reduce tax leakages and modernisation of taxation system are among measures to be put in place to enhance revenue collection. It is expected that the TRA will collect nearly Tsh19 trillion ($11.875 billion) a year by 2018, up from the current Tsh 10.4 trillion  ($6 billion).

A steady increase in revenue collections, from $400 million in 1996 to current $6 billion, has reduced Tanzania’s donor dependency from as high as 54 per cent to less than 10 per cent of the current budget.

Finance Minister Saada Mkuya said reaching a revenue target is a matter of life and death, as the country is serious about reducing its reliance on foreign aid. Ms Mkuya said the TRA has rolled out an electronic fiscal device (EFDs) to enhance domestic tax collection. The system ensures that businessmen keep their transactions records to avoid tax evasion.

TANZANIA AT RISK OF FAILING US AID TEST DUE TO RISING CORRUPTION

Tanzanian newspapers carry headlines on the Tegeta Escrow Scandal on November 27.

Spiralling corruption could soon lead to Tanzania’s disqualification from a US development aid programme that had earlier allocated $698 million to improve the country’s roads, water systems and electricity supply.

If Tanzania fails to heed a recent US directive to take “firm, concrete steps to combat corruption,” it will join the four other member-states of the East African Community in failing to meet conditions for sharing in Washington’s Millennium Challenge initiative.

Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda were each again ruled ineligible for the aid programme in assessments issued last month by the US government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation. Burundi fell short in all the economic, social and governance categories used to measure whether a large amount of funding is likely to be well spent.

Rwanda was given poor grades in the realm of “Ruling Justly,” dropping below US standards for political rights, civil liberties and freedom of information. Kenya and Uganda were both automatically disqualified for failing to stem corruption. None of those four countries has been cleared for the Millennium Challenge assistance during the programme’s 10-year history.

TANZANIA MOVES UP IN WORLD BANK'S RANKING OF COUNTRIES BY GDP

Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Ms Saada Mkuya Salum, announced in Dar es Salaam at the weekend that the size of the economy had expanded by 32 per cent to 70 trillion/- (about 43.8 billion US dollars) from the previous 53tri/- (33.3 billion US dollars) after changing the base year for calculations from 2001 to 2007.

Tanzania, the East African second largest economy now occupies 89th position up from 93rd in the World Bank’s ranking of countries by GPD. Tanzania has become the latest African country to rebase its economy after Nigeria and Kenya. Nigeria overtook South Africa to become Africa’s biggest economy earlier this year.

The revision in the estimates has captured structural changes in the economy since 2001 including the on-going mobile phone revolution in the country. But economists have given a cautious welcome to the new estimates saying despite the positive outcomes of the exercise, challenges of the growing economy remained unchanged.

They cautioned that an increase in GDP figures did not necessarily mean that Tanzanians would be better off nor did it imply that the existing social economic challenges have ceased to exist. “So many things have not changed.

DIGITAL MIGRATION: EAST AFRICA GETS READY FOR 2015 SWITCH-OFF DEADLINE

Driven by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), all countries are required to switch from an analogue to a digital television broadcasting signal by June 2015.

East Africa has begun the migration from analogue to digital television broadcasting before the June 2015 deadline set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

In Kenya, Nairobi and its surrounding suburbs will go digital by December 31, while Mombasa, Kisumu, Malindi and Eldoret are set to switch off the analogue signal in February. The final phase of the migration will be in far-flung towns such as Lodwar, Kibwezi, Garissa and Kapenguria, with the entire country expected to make the complete switchover by March 30.

In a press briefing last week, Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the December 31 deadline for Nairobi will not be extended despite calls by the country’s three leading media houses to postpone the switch-off.

“There have been a number of consultations as directed by the Supreme Court to set migration dates that would be suitable for Kenyans. The outcome was a phased analogue switch-off timetable,” Mr Matiang’i said.

Uganda is planning to complete its digital migration in June. The country switched to digital broadcasting in August this year, starting with the central region covering a radius of 60km. Both digital and analogue platforms are running concurrently so that those without DVB-T2 decoders can continue to access TV signals as they prepare to acquire the devices ahead of the switch-off.

EAC MOST AMBITIOUS ECONOMIC BLOC, MOST INTEGRATION SAVVY ON THE CONTINENT

Presidents Yoweri Museveni (left), Paul Kagame (second right) and Uhuru Kenyatta (right) at the commissioning of Berth 19 at the Mombasa port.

The East African Community has made the most progress on integration and is the most ambitious of all regional economic communities (RECs) in Africa.

According to the latest report on regional integration by the African Development Bank, the EAC is top on the list of RECs in Africa.

“The EAC has developed a fully functional free trade area, first by implementing a Customs Union more comprehensively since July 2009, when both Rwanda and Burundi joined,” says the AfDB report.

Apart from establishing a Common Market in July 2010, AfDB says, the trade bloc’s most recent achievement on the journey towards economic union was the adoption of a protocol in 2013 outlining its plan to launch a monetary union in 10 years, a move that has not been matched by other RECs.

The study assessed eight RECs: EAC, the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the Community of Sahara-Sahel States (CEN-SAD), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE LAUNCHES DEPOSIT TAKING ATMS

National Bank of commerce (NBC), ATM & Cards Manager, Wambura John (left) deposits some cash while launching a new NBC deposit taking ATM service in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.  Looking on are NBC customer, Francis Xavier (centre) and NBC  Citizenship Manager, Irene Peter (right).

The National Bank of Commerce Limited (NBC) has launched deposit taking ATMs in Dar es Salaam; the introduction of deposit taking ATMs reaffirms NBC’s ambition of offering real-time alternative cash transaction solutions for customers.

The cash deposits ATMs services will be available to customers 24 hours a day every day of the week.

“The introduction of these ATMs will ensure that our customers enjoy the convenience of being able to deposit cash into their accounts through our network of deposit taking ATMS. The deposits ATMs are fast, easy, convenient and real time,” said Raymond Mutagahywa, NBC’s Head Digital and Alternative Channels.

The NBC deposit taking ATMs are user friendly and very convenient. All that one is required to do is to insert your ATM card, press More Services and choose Cash Deposit. The ATM will open a slot to allow the customer to insert cash into the ATM.

UJENZI WA BARABARA YA CHUO KIKUU KUTOKEA MBEZI YA KIMARA UKIENDELEA KWA KASI

Pichani juu ni sehemu ya kipande cha barabara ya lami ambacho tayari kimekwisha kamilika, kama kilivyonaswa na Globu ya Jamii wakati ikivinjari katika barabara hiyo mwishoni mwa wiki na kujionea ujenzi huo ukienda kwa kasi. Barabara hiyo ambayo imeonekana kuwa na umuhimu mkubwa katika jitihada za kupambana na msongamano wa magari ambao umekuwa kero kubwa kwa wakazi wa jiji la Dar na kwingineko. Barabara hiyo almaarufu kwa jina la barabara ya chuo kikuu ambayo pia unaweza kwenda Goba ama kuchepuka na kutokea Mbezi ya kimara na kuendelea na safari yako, kwa sasa inapitika kwa kiasi kikubwa.

Michuzi Blog

MKEKA WANUKIA BARABARA YA MIKOCHENI TANESCO MPAKA MSASANI

Maandalizi ya kutandika mkeka wa nguvu katika Barabara ya kutokea Tanesco Mikocheni A mpaka Msasani  kama inavyoonekana pichani. Hii ni sehemu ya maendeleo yanayofanywa na Serikali yetu sikivu.

Siku si nyingi mambo yatakuwa mswano na watu watakuwa wanaleza tu jamvini.

Mmoja wa wataalam wa ujenzi wa barabara hiyo akiangalia kama mambo yako vyema.

Michuzi Blog

MAANDALIZI YA UJENZI WA NEW KAWE CITY WAENDELEA KWA KASI

Pichani ni maandalizi ya ujenzi wa mradi wa New Kawe City unaoendelea kwa kasi hivi sasa katika eneo la Tanganyika packers, Kinondoni jijini Dar. Mradi huo unasimamiwa na Shirika la Nyumba la Taifa (NHC). Camera ya Globu ya Jamii ilikatiza maeneo hayo jioni ya juzi na kujionea maandalizi makubwa ya ujenzi huo ambao wakazi wake watapata makazi bora na ya kudumu kwa bei nafuu.

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Shirika la Nyumba la Taifa (NHC), Bwa. Nehemia Mchechu aliwahi kuzungumza kwenye moja ya jukwaa la uwekezaji wa sekta ya nyumba lililofanyika jijini Dar, na kueleza kuwa shirika hilo limedhamiria kuyabadilisha maeneo mengi ya jiji la Dar na mikoa mingine kuwa ya kisasa zaidi.

Michuzi Blog

BENKI YA NBC YAZINDUA MASHINE ZA ATM ZA KUPOKEA PESA

Meneja wa ATM na Kadi wa Benki ya Taifa ya Biashara (NBC), Wambura John (kushoto) akiweka pesa kwa kutumia ATM katika hafla ya uzinduzi wa huduma ya kuweka pesa (deposit) kwa kutumia mashine za ATM ya benki ya NBC jijini Dar es Salaam mwishoni mwa wiki iliyopita. Katikati ni mteja wa benki hiyo, Francis Xavier na kulia ni Meneja Huduma za Jamii wa NBC, Irene Peter.

Mteja wa Benki ya Taifa ya Biashara (NBC), Francis Xavier (kushoto) akiweka pesa (deposit) katika mashine ya ATM ya benki hiyo wakati wa uzinduzi rasmi wa huduma hiyo jijini Dar es Salaam mwishoni mwa wiki iliyopita. Katikati ni Meneja wa ATM na Kadi wa NBC, Wambura John (katikati) na Meneja Huduma za Jamii wa benki hiyo, Irene Peter.

BENKI ya Taifa ya Biashara (NBC) imezindua huduma mpya ya kuweka fedha kwenye mashine za ATM jijini Dar es Salaam katika juhudi za benki hiyo kuboresha huduma za kifedha nchini.

Kuanzishwa kwa huduma hiyo kunathibitisha malengo ya benki hiyo ya kutoa huduma sahihi na ya wakati kwa wateja wake nchini nzima na huduma hii ya kuweka fedha kwenye mashine za ATM itakuwa ikipatikana masaa 24 kila siku.

“Uanzishwaji wa huduma hii ya kuweka fedha kwenye mashine za ATM itawahakikishia wateja wetu kupata huduma sahihi na ya uhakika wakati wowote, uwekaji wa fedha katika mashine hizi ni wa haraka, rahisi, na inaokoa muda wa kupanga foleni ndani ya benki,” alisema Mkuu wa Njia Mbadala za Kibenki wa NBC, Raymond Mutagahywa.

CASH GRAB IN HONG KONG AS MILLIONS IN BANKNOTES SPILL FROM SECURITY VAN

Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cash spilled onto a busy road following an accident apparently involving a security van.

Hong Kong (CNN) -- Last minute shoppers in Hong Kong were treated to a Christmas Eve cash grab Wednesday when nearly $2 million spilled from a money transport van into the street.

Passing motorists and pedestrians were caught on camera helping themselves to banknotes scattered in Gloucester Road in the city's Wan Chai district at around lunchtime, before police arrived to secure the loot and disperse the opportunists.

Three cash boxes had fallen from the van, resulting in the loss of an estimated 15.23 million Hong Kong dollars (nearly $2 million U.S.), a police said Thursday, warning that anyone who took the notes faced theft charges.

What happened next is surprising.

By Thursday afternoon, police said, nearly half a million of the missing banknotes -- HKD $3.6 million, or $464,000 -- had been returned to authorities.

PIPELINE READY TO TRANSPORT GAS TO DAR ES SALAAM, SAY OFFICIALS

The entire pipeline has a capacity of 784 MMBTU, which will be raised to 1,002 MMSCFD in future.

The Tanzanian government has announced that it will begin using the new 517km pipeline to transport natural gas from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam in January.

The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) has submitted to the Energy Water Regulatory Authority (Ewura) a proposal to charge $4.178 as the tariff for a million metric British thermal units (MMBTU) of gas.

TPDC wants Ewura to grant regulatory approval for the fee applicable to consumers in power generation, industrial use, vehicles, households and institutions from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. TPDC is finalising the construction of two plants at Madimba in Mtwara and Songo Songo Island in Lindi region with a gas pipeline from Mtwara through Somanga Fungu to Dar es Salaam.

“The planned commercial operations start date is January 15, 2015,” said TPDC director of marketing and investments Joyce Kisamo. She added that an appropriate tariff is the only option to help service loans and recover capital costs.

NAIROBI, DAR LEAD IN E.A. REGION'S M&A DEALS

I&M Bank was a beneficiary of the deals with City Trust investing $335 million into its business.

Kenya and Tanzania are leading in mergers and acquisitions in East Africa, having recorded over 150 deals since 2010.

According to KPMG’s DealSpace: East Africa report, most of the deals were in the mining sector followed by financial services, energy and communications. However, manufacturing, tourism, healthcare, wholesale and retail trade performed poorly.

Among the deals were the $4.8 billion acquisition of African Barrick Gold in Tanzania in 2010, the sale of oil blocks by Tullow Oil Plc for about $3 billion in 2011, the $335 million investment by City Trust in Kenyan I&M Bank in 2011, and the $243 million investment by Vodacom Group in Vodacom Tanzania in 2013.

The total value of publicly disclosed M&A deals in Kenya in 2011 reached $667 million, but dropped to $119 million in 2012. “This was followed by recovery, with the value reaching $863 million in 2013,” said the report.

ECONOMIES TO GROW AS GLOBAL OIL PRICES PLUMMET

An attendant fuels a car at a petrol station. The cost of goods and services is influenced by oil prices.

East African economies are expected to register higher growth rates next year if the global oil prices remain low in 2015. According to experts, the decline in oil prices has been a boon to the region’s weak economies, helping keep inflation rates and cost of living at manageable levels.

“Low oil prices will also enable East African countries to make huge savings in foreign exchange, which can be used to finance much needed development projects,” said Mwendia Nyagah, chief executive officer of Oil and Energy Services Ltd, a Nairobi consultancy.

The price of oil has fallen to new five-year lows, and experts predict the trend will continue into next year. The price of Brent crude has fallen by 43 per cent since mid-June, to around $60 a barrel, prompting mixed reactions from economists on whether the trend is good or bad for the global economy.

FINLAND IN ZANZIBAR HORTICULTURE PARTNERSHIP

Finland has partnered with the Tanzania Horticulture Association (Taha) to exploit the horticultural potential of the Zanzibar Isles.

Taha executive director Jacqueline Mkindi said the three-year, $980,000 project will include construction of a $300,000 cold storage facility in Unguja, as well as collection centres for horticultural produce on Unguja and Pemba islands.

“The programme’s objective is to have infrastructure that gives farmers better access to domestic, regional and international markets,” Ms Mkindi said.

Targeting more than 8,000 small-scale farmers, the project will give processors in Zanzibar access to quality packaging for fresh produce meant for export.

EAST AFRICA GETS US$16 MILLION FUND TO EASE TRANSPORT COSTS

Cargo trucks line up at the Malaba border awaiting clearance.

East African states are set to benefit from a $16 million fund launched by Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) in Kampala, on Tuesday.

Dubbed Logistics Innovation for Trade (LIFT), the fund has been opened for innovators who can develop a strategy to help in reducing the cost and time of transporting goods and logistics in the region. According to Mr Isaac Njoroge, the LIFT manager, the fund has already been launched in Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi.

It will provide grants ranging from $200,000 to $750,000 to winning proposals from innovators across the world but whose ideas will be implemented in East Africa.

“The challenge fund comes in to help private businesses and innovators to mitigate the risk of high return projects that are risky and have not been tested,” said Mr Njoroge.

BEST PERFORMING TANZANIA BOARD AWARDS SET FOR JANUARY 30, 2015

 Best Board Leadership Award (BBLA) Coordinator, Ms. Neema Gerald (second right), speaks with the press (not in the picture) during a press conference to announce the inaugural Best Board Leadership Award (BBLA), an initiative which aims to spotlight and recognize outstanding leadership for Boards of Directors in the banking and insurance sectors which is set to be held in Dar es Salaam on January 30, 2015. She is flanked by Laurence Mwangoka (first right), Serena Hotel’s Sales Manager one of the award sponsors, representatives from Capital Plus International (CPI) Mr. Mathew Kasonta (second left), and Mr. Kassim Malela (first left).

Mr. Mathew Kasonta (centre), a representative from Capital Plus International (CPI) who are among the sponsors of the Best Board Leadership Award (BBLA) speaks with the press (not in the picture) during a press conference to announce the inaugural Best Board Leadership Award (BBLA), an initiative which aims to spotlight and recognize outstanding leadership for Boards of Directors in the banking and insurance sectors which is set to be held in Dar es Salaam on January 30, 2015. He is flanked by BBLA Coordinator, Ms. Neema Gerald (right), and a representative from CPI, Mr. Kassim Malela (left).

Mr. Mathew Kasonta (second left), a representative from Capital Plus International (CPI) who are among the sponsors of the Best Board Leadership Award (BBLA) speaks with the press (not in the picture) during a press conference to announce the inaugural Best Board Leadership Award (BBLA), an initiative which aims to spotlight and recognize outstanding leadership of Boards of Directors in the banking and insurance sectors which is set to be held in Dar es Salaam on January 30, 2015. He is flanked by Laurence Mwangoka (first right), Serena Hotel’s Sales Manager one of the award sponsors,  BBLA Coordinator, Ms. Neema Gerald (second right), and a representative from CPI, Mr. Kassim Malela (first left).

THE inaugural Best Board Leadership Award (BBLA), an initiative which aims to spotlight and recognize outstanding leadership for Boards of Directors in the banking and insurance sectors, is set to be held in Dar es Salaam end of next month.

The BBLA planned for January 30, 2015 and to be held for the first time in Tanzania, are organized under the auspices of the Tanzania Bankers Association (TBA) and Association of Tanzania Insurers (ATI).

Speaking during a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, BBLA Coordinator, Ms Neema Gerald said the awards will give an insight of how a best board can help an organization to flourish and achieve best performance in the area of its specialization.

BENKI YA NBC YAKABIDHI BODABODA KWA MSHINDI WA PROMOSHENI YA 'WEKA UPEWE' KARATU

Kaimu Meneja wa Benki ya NBC Tawi la Karatu, Wende Lyimo (wa pili kulia) akikabidhi zawadi ya bodaboda kwa mmoja wa washindi wa promosheni ya weka upewe, Mchungaji Christopher Kingo, katika hafla iliyofanyika tawini hapo, Karatu hivi karibuni. Wanaoshuhudia ni baadhi ya wateja wa benki hiyo na mfanyakazi wa benki hiyo, Kalist Masika (kulia).

KAYMU TANZANIA FOSTERS ENTREPRENEURSHIP THROUGH UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS

Kaymu, the leading online shopping community for emerging markets, has recently organized University visits in Dar-es-Salaam entitled KaymUniversity, with the aim of empowering students, offering them knowledge on e-commerce and educate them on how to open virtual shops and boost their sales and on the platform.

E-commerce is still a new concept in Africa, and motivating students and other individuals to take an active role in developing online businesses is necessary for the growth of the country’s e-commerce sector. As Tanzania's leading online marketplace, Kaymu offers entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to start selling online with little up-front investment. The company is eager to work with small entrepreneurs and students to help them capitalize on this business opportunity.

KaymUniversity comprises six sessions which cover the basics of Kaymu, account and shop management, order processing, payment methods, logistics, and social media strategy. As well as receiving in-depth information about the subjects covered, participants also have the opportunity to ask any questions they might have about the platform during these visits.

KITOMARI BANKING & FINANCE BLOG HITS NEW READERSHIP HIGH OF 170,000 PAGE VIEWS AND STILL GROWING...

Kitomari Banking & Finance Blog is a premier site for current banking, finance, business, economic, investment and stock market news as well as selected informative articles covering Tanzania, East Africa and the rest of the World.

Our Blog was 'born' on Wednesday, 9th April 2014.

We are pleased to let you know that yesterday, 17th December 2014, Kitomari Banking & Finance Blog registered a total of 170,000 page visits to our site - a new record high, and we're still growing rapidly!

A big thank you to all our advertisers as well as readers from around the world, who continue to support us.

B-PESA EXPANDS ITS REACH THROUGH I&M BANK TANZANIA

Dar es Salaam 17th December, 2014. B-PESA has now announced their new partnership with I&M Bank to launch a new B-PESA EMV certified Chip and PIN card to expand its services and offerings to its customers and the public at large.

B-PESA customers can easily load or withdraw their money using any of the I&M bank branches that are available throughout the country.

The partnership between the two companies means that a customer can easily load their B-PESA card at any I&M bank branches across the country.

B-PESA allows users via multiple electronic channels such as via web portal or their mobile devices via Android apps and USSD to manage their B-PESA card. All B-PESA cards can now also be loaded at all EzyPesa outlets after a new agreement with Zantel was signed earlier this week.

B-PESA YAJITANUA ZAIDI KUPITIA BENKI YA I&M TANZANIA

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa B-Pesa, Sean Merali, akiongea na wageni waalikwa (hawapo pichani) wakati wa uzinduzi wa ushirikiano mpya kati ya B-Pesa na Benki ya I&M, ambapo ushirikiano huo utaongeza ufanisi wa kuwafikia wateja wao kiurahisi kwa taasisi hizo. Mgeni rasmi katika hafla hiyo alikua ni Kamanda wa kanda maalumu ya Dar es Salaam, Suleiman Kova. Halfa hiyo iliyofanyika katika hoteli ya Serena jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa B-Pesa, Bw. Sean Merali, (kushoto) Kamanda wa kanda maalumu ya Dar es Salaam, Suleimani Kova (wa pili kushoto), na Mkurugenzi wa Benki ya I&M, Michael Shirima (wa tatu toka kushoto), na Shameer Patel, Meneja Mkuu wa Benki ya I&M (wa pili kulia) wakikata keki kama ishara ya uzinduzi wa ushirikiano mpya kati ya B-Pesa na Benki ya I&M, ambapo ushirikiano huo utaongeza ufanisi wa kuwafikia wateja wao kiurahisi kwa taasisi hizo. Mgeni rasmi katika hafla hiyo alikua ni Kamanda wa kanda maalumu ya Dar es Salaam, Suleiman Kova. Hafla hiyo ilifanyika katika hoteli ya Serena jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Baadhi ya washiriki katika uzinduzi wa ushirikiano wa B-Pesa na Benki ya I&M, wakimsikiliza mgeni rasmi Kamanda wa kanda maalum ya Dar es Salaam, Suleimani Kova (hayupo pichani), wakati wa hafla hiyo iliyofanyika katika hoteli ya Serena jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Mgeni rasmi katika hafla ya uzinduzi wa ushirikiano wa B-Pesa na Benki ya I&M, Kamanda kanda maalum ya Dar es Salaam, Suleiman Kova, (wa kwanza kulia) akisalimiana na Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa B-Pesa, Sean Merali, (wa kwanza kushoto). Hafla hiyo ilifanyika katika hoteli ya Serena jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Mgeni rasmi katika hafla ya uzinduzi wa ushirikiano wa B-Pesa na Benki ya I&M, Kamanda kanda maalum ya Dar es Salaam, Suleiman Kova (wa pili kushoto) na Mkurugenzi wa Benki ya I&M Michael Shirima (wa tatu toka kushoto) wakivuta pazia kama ishara ya kuzindua rasmi ushirikiano mpya wa taasisi za B-Pesa na Benki ya I&M. Hafla hiyo ilifanyika katika hoteli ya Serena jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa B-Pesa, Sean Merali (kulia) akibadilishana mawazo na Mkurugenzi wa Benki ya I&M, Michael Shirima, wakati wa uzinduzi wa ushirikiano wa taasisi hizo mbili, katika hafla iliyofanyika ndani ya hoteli ya Serena jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Dar es Salaam 17 Desemba, 2014. B-PESA jana imetangaza ushirikiano mpya kati yake na benki ya I&M kwa kuzindua kadi mpya ya B-PESA EMV pamoja na PIN card ikiwa na lengo la kusambaza huduma kwa wateja wake na kwa Watanzania kwa ujumla.

Wateja wa B-PESA wanaweza kuweka au kuchukua fedha zao kupitia matawi yoyote ya benki ya I&M ambayo yanapatikana nchi nzima.

B-PESA inatoa fursa kwa wateja wake kupitia njia mbalimbali za kielectroniki kama vile web portal au njia ya vifaa vya simu kwa njia ya programu za Android na USSD kutumia kadi zao B-PESA. Kadi za B-PESA zinaweza kujazwa katika maduka yote ya EzyPesa baada ya makubaliano na Zantel ambayo yalifanywa mwanzoni mwa wiki hii.

EXIM BANK TANZANIA LAUNCHES MOBILE APPLICATION FOR SMART PHONES

Exim Bank Tanzania Head of Operations, Mr. Eugen Massawe (left) speaks to the press (not in the picture) during a press conference to launch Exim Smart App, a mobile application designed specifically for smart phones that will enable customers to access banking services through their mobile phones, in Dar es Salaam yesterday. On the right is the bank’s Marketing Executive, Mr. Noel Tuga.

In its efforts to enhance its suite of mobile services for customers, Exim Bank Tanzania has launched a state of the art mobile application designed specifically for smart phones.

The application is currently available on Android, Windows, Black Berry and IOS Operating Systems.

In statement at the bank’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Exim Bank Head of Operations, Mr. Eugen Massawe said the mobile app offers a secure banking experience and the functionality of Exim Mobile Smart App for smart phones, such as the ability to view transactions and customers can get account statements which can be generated between any dates.

TEACHERS EMERGE WINNERS IN 'TUTOKE NA SERENGETI' PROMOTION

The fourth draw of Tutoke na Serengeti promotion was conducted yesterday at SBL’s main offices in Chang’ombe and Mr. Isaack Edward Amaro 25 year old man and Rombo resident has emerged as the third winner of the Limo Bajaj in SBL and B-Pesa’s ongoing campaign.

Mr. Isaack Edward received this great news of winning the Limo Bajaj while on his way to the village to celebrate Christmas with family.

Speaking on the phone, Mr. Edward said “Thank you so much SBL, I was about to give up on my participation in this promotion thinking that luck wasn’t on my side, little did I know that I would win a Limo Bajaj”.

WALIMU WAIBUKA WASHINDI KWENYE PROMOSHENI YA TUTOKE NA SERENGETI

Meneja chapa wa Serengeti Premium Lager, Bw. Rugambo Rodney akibonyeza kitufe wakati wa kuchezesha droo ya nne kutafuta mshindi wa tatu wa Limo Bajaj katilka shindano la Tutoke na Serengeti ambapo Isaack Edward Amaro ameibuka mshindi. Katikati ni msimamizi kutoka bodi ya michezo ya kubahatisha, Bw. Mrisho Milao na kulia ni mhasibu wa kampuni ya Serengeti (SBL) Monica Labre. Hafla hiyo ilifanyika makao makuu ya kampuni hiyo jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Meneja chapa Serengeti Premium Lager, Rodney Rugambo akiongea na mshindi wakati wa kuchezesha droo ya nne kutafuta mshindi wa tatu wa Limo Bajaj katilka shindano la Tutoke na Serengeti. Kulia ni msimamizi kutoka michezo ya kubahatisha, Mrisho  Milao.

Droo ya nne ya Tutoke na Serengeti imefanyika jana katika makao makuu ya kampuni ya bia ya Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) yaliyoko Chang’ombe, ambapo Bw. Isaack Edward Amaro mwenye umri wa miaka 25 na mkazi wa Rombo ameibuka mshindi wa tatu wa Limo Bajaj.

Bw. Isaack Edward amepokea habari njema za ushindi wa Limo Bajaj akiwa safarini kuelekea kijijini kusherehekea sikukuu za mwisho wa mwaka.

SERENGETI BREWERIES LAUNCHES A NEW “TUSKER 330ML” INTO THE MARKET

Tusker Lager consumers in the country are in for a treat following the introduction of Serengeti Breweries’ new pack “Tusker 330ml”.

The new pack was launched recently at Golden Jubilee Tower in Dar Es Salaam in the presence of journalists and SBL’s Marketing Director Mr. Ephraim Mafuru among many other SBL staff.

Speaking during the launch, Mr. Mafuru said “The business environment requires us to think more aggressively in order to make sure that we move along with the trends and be able to satisfy the needs of our esteemed customers at the same time hence the introduction of this new pack into the market”.

On her part, Anitha Msangi Marketing Manager-Tusker Lager said…”I believe that innovation stimulates consumer interest and demand therefore my great expectation would be for our consumers to receive and buy our brand’s new pack in volumes”. Anitha added that the new pack will be available and sold countrywide to make sure that all consumers in the country are reached effectively.