Kenya's National Industrial Credit (NIC) Bank is set to enable customers to view their balances and make payments via WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.
The new NIK Connect social media banking platform, developed with software company Craft Silicon and slated to launch next month, will let customers use a PIN to connect to their accounts through a host of social media sites.
This will let them check their balances, see mini statements, purchase mobile airtime, transfer funds and pay utility bills. Plans are already underway to introduce other features, including merchant payments and cheque book and card ordering, in the near future. Non-customers can use the system to find ATMs and branches.
John Gachora, group MD, NIC Bank, says: "This new innovation is aimed at providing our customers with an easier point of interface with their bank. It is perfectly aligned with our MOVE to NOW philosophy through which we aim to provide our customers with multiple channels of access to our services, thereby creating greater convenience."