AfricaPress-Tanzania: NMB Bank has reiterated its commitment to foster solid business relationship with its customers as an important platform to expand their businesses and contribute to economic development.
This was unveiled in Mwanza at the weekend at a customer networking meeting for the bank’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and emerging corporate clients.
The Business Executive Network (BEN), which attracted over 150 customers from Lake Zone regions of Mwanza, Geita, Mara and Kagera, aimed at finding a commonplace solution that would strengthen links between SMEs and emerging corporates.
NMB Bank Chief of Retail Banking Filbert Mponzi noted that NMB Business Executive Network was also a network specifically designed for upper-end SMEs, emerging and large corporates, where members typically got refreshers’ programme training in areas, which affected their businesses.
Mr Mponzi further said: “Here we have business planning, taxation, business regulations’ skills discussed. We also have trade finance facilitation and fast track offers at all NMB branches, specifically for preferential forex rates with a special identity card for identification in all our branches.”
SMEs activities are vibrant to the bank and promoting the growth and development of the economy, where some financial institutions in the past few years supported over 200,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) nationwide.
Commenting further Mr Mponzi said: “NMB Bank is committed to ensuring that customers get best services, which contribute to their business growth. The bank has done remarkable service infrastructure improvements and innovations, which suit the needs of its customers.”
“Launching of business centres and private banking facilities with dedicated branches nation-wide for SMEs and emerging corporates in major cities are among such improvements that will facilitate services.”
The bank established the business centres in Dar es Salaam (Kariakoo and Sinza), Mwanza, Arusha, Moshi, Mbeya, Dodoma, Morogoro, Kahama and Mtwara.
He further explained that after the successful launch and implementation of business clubs, which targeted the MSMEs, the bank had embarked on a new networking initiative of BEN that attracted more customers, who had outgrown the MSME category.
“Even non-NMB customers can join the BEN network to see opportunities, products and services offered by our leading bank,” said Mr Mponzi.
For his part, NMB Bank Head of Business Banking Alex Mgeni urged entrepreneurs and members of the public to utilise their insurance services to timely cover their insurance requirements through 220 branches countrywide.
“Our insurance services, including agricultural products enable farmers to compensate losses and damages they incur as a result of disasters such as floods, droughts and pests,” said Mr Mgeni.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development,
Dr Angelina Mabula, said the bank’s introduction of the insurances specifically in the agricultural sector would support farmers to recover after any calamity.
“We call upon the bank to provide public awareness on insurance services and products. Agricultural products insurance will benefit and increase productivity in the agricultural sector, whose value chain supports 65 per cent of the country’s population,” she said.
