Only 24m Nigerians have bank accounts

MANAGING Director of Oliswarren Associates Limited, Mr. Olisa Aniuno, yesterday, said studies have shown  that only 24 million Nigerians operate bank accounts, describing it as too low for a population of 150 million people.
Speaking at the launch of a new mobile money scheme known as ‘Pocket money’ by his company in collaboration with e–Transact in Awka, Aniuno said it was for that reason that his company decided to address the limitations and bottlenecks created by cash, cheques and credit cards.
He said since a majority of adult Nigerians have mobile phones, they could use it to make financial transactions.
Aniuno said the new scheme entaied the use of mobile phone to make payments, allowing registered users to pay for goods and services at anytime and anywhere using mobile phones installed with security personal identification number, PIN, via short message service, SMS.
Anambra State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Eze Echesi, who launched the product on behalf of Governor Peter Obi, said the state has blazed the trail on reaching the rural community with modern financial transaction through the introduction of the new scheme.