National Bank launches a branch in Isiolo County

National Bank has today opened a new branch in Isiolo County as it seeks to increase its customer base within the region, while tapping into the county’s economic growth potential.

The bank will be offering its services to customers in the region widely known for pastoralism, farming, irrigation projects as well as trade.

Speaking during the branch opening, National Bank, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Munir Sheikh Ahmed noted that the move to open a branch in Isiolo County, which is a crucial gateway between Northern and Southern Kenya, is a very strategic move for the bank aimed at tapping into the economic potential of the County.

National Bank, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Munir Sheikh Ahmed (left) and Governor of Isiolo County, Hon. Godana Doyo, during the opening of branch in Isiolo County

 

“As a bank, we are aware that Isiolo County is set to become a major part of Kenya's economic development plan Vision 2030. The plan calls for Isiolo to become a tourist center that will include casinos, hotels, upscale retail outlets, a modern airport and a transport hub which includes the LAPSSET project and we would like to tap into the County’s economic growth,” said Ahmed.

The launch of Isiolo branch is part of the bank’s 5-year strategic growth plan aimed at expanding the bank’s distribution channels across the country.

In the past eight months the Bank has opened branches in Greenspan, Lunga Lunga, Ngong Road, and Mountain Mall in Nairobi County; Nyali, Kilifi and Bondeni in Mombasa County; and Wajir in Northern Kenya.

“Our aim is to increase our branch network to 120 from the current 75 and to boost the agency banking network to 2,000 agents by 2017,” added Ahmed.

Recently, the bank announced strategic partnerships with Kenswitch, the national payments switch provider, and Post Bank. The new partnerships now provide all National Bank customers access to 1,200 Kenswitch’s ATMs services across East and Central Africa and also provision of agency banking services at the 99 Post Bank branches and 800 Post Bank Mashinani Agents countrywide.

The bank also launched its new internet application, NatConnect and mobile application, NatMobile, which offers a convergence of solutions delivering both banking services and financial information on customer’s mobile phones and through the internet.