By Mary Kabay
On the 30th October 2020 the Bank to Wallet and Wallet to Bank was launched by Orange Money-Sierra Leone in partnership with Access Bank to make banking easy and bring it to the door step of everyone in the country. The program took place at Orange-Sierra Leone Rawdon Street Office in Freetown.
Orange Money is now partnering with the fourth commercial bank in the country, Access Bank, in making possible accessibility to the Wallet to Bank and Bank to Wallet platform of sending and receiving money with a view to ease the workload on the Bank to give easy access to the banking system country wide.
Sadia Kanu, a member of staff of Orange Sierra Leone in a presentation demonstrated how the service works. She said the first step to be taken is that an individual must be a customer of Access Bank as well as operating an Orange Money account.
With the customer having an E-wallet, he or she can send or receive ten thousand Leones which is the minimum and fifteen million Leones as the maximum per day.
Sadia intimated that to connect to the service, the individual must start by entering the Orange Money Code #144#, then go to number six which will display the list of the banks, he or she can then choose Access Bank and it will take him or her through the menu as well as the secret code which the individual must enter.
An SMS will be sent to the individual and he or she must reply within 30 minutes and as well be around the bank axis.
Explaining the benefits of the service to its customers, she mentioned among others visibility, that it is easy to access, that it suits all type of customers and not only influential personalities.
Mohamed I. Kargbo, Head of Product Development, Access Bank, maintained that what customers will be required to do at the bank is to give their Orange Money link and after filling forms customers’ signatures must be presented.
Martha Kpakima, a representative of the Manager Access Bank in her statement expressed delight with Access Bank linking up with Orange Money Sierra Leone further stating how they are determined to work together in order to build a mutual and beneficial relationship.
CEO of Orange Money, David Mansaray, highlighted the advantages of the banking wallet service stating how the service is easy and quick to access money, makes it possible for customers to avoid long queues saying it can be used in shops and beach bars in case users are financially stranded. He assured that Orange Money is here to improve financial inclusion in the country.
