Rokel Commercial Bank Takes Agency Banking to Leicester, Gloucester

Rokel Commercial Bank continues with its ambitious expansion drive as it opens its third agency banking outlet for Leicester and Gloucester communities in Freetown. The new outlet came through a collaboration with Peak Energy Gas Station which houses the outlet at the Leicester/Gloucester intersection.

Agency Banking is a platform through which a bank provides basic financial services rather than an in-house cashier. It is a type of branchless banking that allows traditional banks to extend their network branches and services in a cost-efficient manner. Apparently, the new outlet has further cemented the bank’s position as the undisputed champion of financial inclusion in Sierra Leone.

Head of Rokel Bank’s Simkorpor department, Kezia Salankunle said the outlet would be operating beyond traditional banking hours, reiterating that residents of the two communities would now have the opportunity to carry banking transactions on their doorsteps and avoid the hassle of accessing the often crowded banking halls in town.

Marketing Manager, Mariama Jajua encouraged community people to inculcate a culture of banking as a sure way to manage their finances averring; “We believe that more people should come on board to access the banking system and that is why we have not relented in our pursuit to expand and promote financial inclusion in Sierra Leone.”

Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank, Dr Walton Gilpin reaffirmed his bank’s commitment to expand and get more people on board the banking system with flexible, innovative strategies such as the Agency Banking project. He was happy that the new outlet would also be serving a larger portion of the nearby Fourah Bay College community to serve students and lecturers.

“This branch will be doing account opening, deposits, withdrawals, EDSA top up, phone tops and several other basic services to ensure you do not have to go all the way to town to access banking service,” he added.

Other speakers including the Head of Administration, Bai Turay made similar statements.