The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and Fidelity Bank on Thursday launched an integrated agency banking and Treasury Single Account (TSA) collections scheme in an effort to take financial services to the unbanked population especially in the rural areas.
At the ceremony in Abuja, Postmaster General of the Federation, Barrister Bisi Adegbuyi said the launching is part of efforts to extend financial services at affordable costs to sections of disadvantaged and low income segments of the society.
Adegbuyi stated that with this development, NIPOST customers can also get banking services in the post offices nationwide and can deposit and withdraw money, including payment of billd for utility services in the post offices where these services are available without stress.
“This partnership also avails Fidelity Bank the opportunity to expand its network using the over 1800 post offices nationwide to take banking closer to the people in line with the federal government’s financial inclusion policy which places high premium on providing financial services to the under-banked and unbanked populace who work in the informal sector of the economy without or less access to financial services,” he said.
The PMG disclosed that NIPOST is on the verge of giving all Nigerians a state of the art address free of charge, saying that this would make it easy for identity management, while acess to credit will be enhanced.
On his part,Deputy Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Muhammed Balarabe said about 266 branches of the bank would be hooked up to the project to facilitate financial inclusion.
He said the bank has taken this first step in the collaboration urging others to follow suite.
