NMB Bank’s top level performance was acknowledged in
this year’s Zimbabwe Independent
Banks and Banking Survey, where it was second runner-up for the Overall Bank of
the Year award.
The results of the survey, which highlights banks that
performed exceptionally well in the first half of this year, were announced on
Thursday at an event hosted by Alpha Media Holdings, publishers of the Zimbabwe Independent.
NMBZ
Holdings, NMB Bank’s holding company, achieved a pre-tax profit of ZWL74 452
137 for the half-year ended June 30, 2019.
Basic
earnings were largely driven by NMB Bank’s continued expansion into the broader
market segments, revision of lending rates and charges, reduction in
non-performing loans, cost containment measures, functional currency changes
and fair value gains from investment properties.
NMB
Bank’s expansion into the broad market segment is part of its inclusivity drive
to bring more individuals and small businesses into the banking sector. This
drive has seen a huge increase in the number of NMB Bank accounts opened and in
the level of deposits with the bank.
The
bank is now one of the most commonly known banks within the country, a bank for
all. Its commitment to providing excellent service to its customers is well
known. NMB’s high standard of customer care has continued to be one of its main
hallmarks, despite the huge rise in the number of customers it now serves.
Earlier this
year the bank launched a TapCard that only needs to be tapped against a point
of sale machine to make a payment.
The TapCard, which
can be obtained by anyone whether an NMB Bank customer or not, can be purchased
or loaded with monetary value at any NMB
bank branch, selected OK supermarkets and agents nationwide. It is ideal for
small transactions and is already being used for fast payment of bus fares on
Zupco buses, entrance to Premier Soccer League matches and Zinara tollgate fees
on the route from Harare to Beitbridge.
NMB
Bank chief executive Benefit Washaya said it was pleasing to have been judged
among the country’s top three banks in the Banks and Banking Survey.
“We
are delighted to have had our achievements in this half-year acknowledged by
being judged among the top three banks in this prestigious survey, particularly
given the difficult economic environment in which we, like other banks and
other companies, have had to operate.
“We are pleased to have been able to continue
to offer our customers the same high standard of customer service for which we
are well known. Our commitment to our customers and to providing them all with
the highest standards of customer care remains absolute,” he said.
