Africa-Press – Lesotho. TheFirst National Bank (FNB) Lesotho has launched an E-Commerce platform on Wednesday, which is intended to ease online buying and selling in the era of
Covid-19 and digital migration. The development is a mitigating strategy by the bank, which is launched in an effort to accelerate business activities as the main economic boosters, and to
counter the apparent blow imposed by the global health crisis. According to FNB Chief Executive Officer Delekazi Mokebe, it is part of the responsibilities of the bank to part take in efforts to keep the economy
running. She said there are several ways in which this can be achieved, saying the E-Commerce platform enables businesses to setup online stores where they
can sell products and services to their clients conveniently. She continued to say that this opportunity is open to all businesses including Small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs) and big companies, she hastened to say that
it cuts across the entire economy regardless of segment or sector of the business. “This is something that we have all come to enjoy and value. We are extremely excited
to enable this development in our country by which we are ensuring that we are in line with the rest of the world as online shopping has become not only the
norm but truly a necessity in the current era,” she said. Mokebe further said true to their motto of ‘How Can We Help You?’ they are looking forward to helping businesses set-up their stores
and for Basotho to enjoy the benefits of E-Commerce. Meanwhile, FNB Commercial and Corporate Investment Banker Motšeare Tšosane commended the bank for being thoughtful and effective. He said online buying and selling is
convenient, secure and cost-effective. He said this platform will enable minimal physical contact and therefore help reduce the spread of Covid-19. Tšosane also said the platform will go a long way in aiding Basotho
entrepreneurs to broaden their distribution channels, thereby attracting more customers. He indicated that Covid-19 pandemic has fast tracked the evolution
of digital transformation, requiring businesses to be more innovative on ways to continue operating while adhering to safety protocols. “We are very proud as FNB Lesotho to introduce E-Commerce which aligns to our
strategic objective of being an innovative financial institution that always strive for ways to create convenience for our customers at cost effective
ways,” he said. He said the E-Commerce solution benefits both businesses and customers and it is a great initiative for SMEs as it enables them to cut down operating costs such as rental fees, and minimizes capital.
