Standard Chartered launches digital bank in three more African countries

This follows similar moves in Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana and Kenya during the first quarter of 2019 and in Côte dIvoire in 2018.

The expansion comes amid rising demand for wider access to digital services in Africa, which has a growing population and economy.

In Côte d’Ivoire the digital bank has exceeded initial expectations with 18,000 new account openings, while in Uganda it has seen an eight-fold increase. In Tanzania, the bank has signed up more new customers since launching in March this year than in the whole of 2018.

It is expected to continue its digital expansion in Africa with another launch planned in September 2019 for Nigeria.

Standard Chartered has also launched SC Keyboard, which allows customers to access a variety of financial services from within any social or messaging platform without having to open the banking app. 

Initially launched in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and Tanzania, the solution is a first for the bank in Africa and will be rolled out to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria throughout the rest of the year.

The keyboard-based banking solution allows clients to transfer money in real-time, pay utility bills and instantly check balances from within any social or messaging platform.