During the “Nigerian Cash Flight” days, I mean the “Emefiele failed Naira Redesign Project”, I had a funny but troubling experience.

I was invited by UBA branch manager in Owerri to sign some account documents. I could not get into the bank due to the frightening crowd of people at the bank entrance.

Since I was just coming to sign papers, he asked them to let me in through the back gate. As soon as some people saw me driving in through the back gate, they rushed to the back gate and in one second, the back gate was crowded.

The security guys tried to disperse the crowd so I could get in, but it did not work. I noticed one man, probaby in his forties trying to squeeze himself in as the security men pushed back. He nearly got hurt.

On my way out of the manager’s office, I saw the same man in the banking hall carrying a deposit form and a pen. I asked him what he came in to do and he said:

“I wan TRANSFER MONEY TO MY CUSTOMER.”

Me: How much?
Man: N15,000.00
Me: Where do you live?
Man: Ohaji

I was confused.

Me: You mean you came all the way from Ohaji just to transfer N15,000.00 to your customer?”
Man: Yes sir.

I was shocked and so I decided to ask him more questions.

Me: Do you have an android phone?
Man: Yes sir.
Me: Where is it?
Man: E dey house. I no come with am.
Me: Why?
Man: Ah, they fit steal am for bus.
Me: Ok. But do you use it to make transfer?
Man: No sir. But I wan sabi am.
Me: You don’t have children that can teach you?
Man: I get but they no fit teach me.
Me: Sir, honestly, you just wasted your time, money and energy coming all the way from Ohaji to deposit 15k.
Man: No be so sir. Na money for my provisions. I dey sell provisions. If I no pay first, the woman no go sell to me. The woman dey for this Owerri but I no get money for hand.
Me: I see, but if you knew how to transfer from your phone you would not have risked your life trying to get into the bank. You could have transferred the money to her from your mobile app.
Man: I no sabi that one sir. I go ask my wife. when I go home.
Me: Ok. Try and learn it. It will help ypu.
Man: Ok sir. Thank you.

Digital payment options such as mobile transfer can save you money, time and energy. Imagine how much this man could have saved on transport had he used mobile app to transfer to his customer? Imagine how much this man could have made in his store that day but he wasted the whole day at the bank?

All these could have been avoided with modest knowledge of how to use digital banking tools. To help young men and women like this man, our Digital Skilling and Employment Project (DSEP) is moving from community to community teaching rural MSMEs and Artisans how to use digital payment and marketing platforms to save money, increase income and grow their businesses.

On tuesday, our team members were at MGBIRICHI to train August meeting women. Expect us in your community soon.

DSEP is funded by the Coca Cola Foundation and implemented by CSAAE in partnership with Corporate Imo Impact Partners. To partner with us, please call:+234 704 600 7185. Email: info@csaaeinc.org

Fr. Godswill Agbagwa
Founder, CSAAE