Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei said on Friday it has partnered with Absa Bank Kenya to promote digital banking services in the country and ensure financial services are aligned with the changing needs of a young clientele.
Through a partnership with Absa Bank Kenya, Huawei technologies will support the establishment of a cutting-edge platform to power the bank’s digital transformation, the Chinese technology company said in a statement released in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. .
“The partnership is to establish a Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN), hailed as the next-generation technology and service designed to connect bank branches, and to promote smart branch upgrades by building a powerful network built on cost effectiveness, agility, flexibility, scalability, security and compliance,” the statement read.
He noted that all 83 Absa branches nationwide as well as 212 automated teller machines (ATMs) and internet and mobile banking will benefit from the digital platform.
The partnership between Huawei and Absa Bank Kenya is rooted in the bank’s digital transformation process, which includes building a cloud-based network between its headquarters and branches to facilitate service expansion.
Moses Okudi, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Absa Bank Kenya, said that a robust digital infrastructure will be critical to delivering quality services in a rapidly changing financial services landscape.
“We strive to provide our customers with a seamless, real-time digital experience to enable them to bank and transact seamlessly wherever they are,” Okudi said.
Technical teams from Huawei and Absa Bank Kenya have already conducted extensive discussions and investigations to ensure that the rollout of the bank’s digital transformation strategy was smooth.
By shifting to digital and smart customer service services, the bank will maintain the momentum that peaked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when cashless transactions became the norm, Okudi said.
He added that digital banking is expected to accelerate in Kenya through supportive infrastructure, policies and regulations, as well as a critical mass of young tech savvy people.
