Rene Anthere
NCBA Bank Rwanda has officially launched two new digital banking platforms, NCBA Now and NCBA Connect Plus, marking a significant milestone in the bank’s digital transformation strategy. The new solutions are designed to provide individuals and businesses with faster, more secure, and more accessible banking services.
The platforms were unveiled during an event attended by customers, partners, members of the media, and senior bank executives, underscoring NCBA’s commitment to placing innovation at the centre of the customer experience.
NCBA Bank Rwanda Managing Director Maurice Okrindi said the platforms are the result of extensive customer engagement and careful analysis of the evolving financial services landscape.
“We did not want to develop applications simply because similar products already existed in the market. Our ambition was to create solutions that genuinely address the challenges faced by our customers, both individuals and businesses,” he said.
Okrindi acknowledged that some customers had previously experienced challenges with the bank’s older digital banking services. He encouraged them to explore the new platforms and provide feedback to help the bank continuously improve its digital offerings.
Two Platforms Tailored to Different Customer Segments
NCBA Now has been developed for individual customers. The mobile application enables users to check account balances, transfer funds to other banks and mobile wallets, make payments, and access a wide range of banking services through a single platform.
According to the bank, future updates will introduce additional features, including remote account opening, digital loan applications without visiting a branch, and expanded self-service banking options.
Meanwhile, NCBA Connect Plus is designed specifically for corporate and business clients, providing advanced financial management capabilities. Finance teams can monitor accounts in real time, create customised approval workflows, oversee transactions, and authorise payments remotely from anywhere in the world.
Okrindi said the platform will allow businesses to spend less time on administrative processes and more time growing their operations.
Physical Branches Will Continue to Play an Important Role
Despite accelerating its digital transformation, NCBA Bank Rwanda has no plans to close its physical branches.
“Our branches will evolve into financial advisory and business support centres, while routine banking transactions will increasingly be handled through digital channels,” Okrindi explained.
Cybersecurity at the Core of the Digital Transformation
Data protection and cybersecurity form a cornerstone of the bank’s digital strategy.
Sam Gatari, Head of Information Security and Data Protection at NCBA Bank Rwanda, said both platforms were developed using the “Security and Privacy by Design” principle, ensuring that security measures were integrated from the earliest stages of development.
Key security features include:
- Two-factor authentication;
- Biometric login using fingerprint or facial recognition;
- End-to-end data encryption; and
- Secure registration of trusted devices.
The bank also affirmed its full compliance with Rwanda’s data protection and privacy regulations.
Customer Data Is Not Sold
Responding to questions from journalists about the use of customers’ personal information, Okrindi stressed that customer data is used solely to improve the banking experience.
Transaction data helps the bank provide personalised financial advice and, where appropriate, tailor suitable credit offers. Location information is used exclusively to help customers locate the nearest branch or automated teller machine (ATM).
He emphasised that customers remain fully in control of their privacy settings and can disable personalised features whenever they choose.
Promoting Financial Inclusion
NCBA Bank Rwanda also reassured customers living in rural communities or those without smartphones that they will continue to have access to banking services.
In addition to the new mobile applications, customers can continue using the USSD code *650#, visit physical branches, access banking agents, or utilise the bank’s partnership with eKash, which facilitates transfers between bank accounts, Airtel Money, MTN Mobile Money, and other payment networks.
Positive Early Feedback
Among the first organisations to pilot NCBA Connect Plus was one represented by Moses Odui, who said his organisation had tested the platform for three months with excellent results.
He praised its ease of use and the automation of payment approval processes, which significantly improved the efficiency of the organisation’s financial operations.
Future Outlook
With the launch of NCBA Now and NCBA Connect Plus, NCBA Bank Rwanda has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating digital transformation while delivering modern, secure, and customer-centred financial services for both individuals and businesses.
The bank said customer feedback will continue to shape future platform enhancements, with the ambition of delivering a benchmark digital banking experience in Rwanda and across the region.
