Standard Lesotho Bank launches Unayo platform

  MASERU – STANDARD Lesotho Bank this week launched a new platform called Unayo to increase financial inclusion among the majority of Lesotho’s citizens. The bank has given Unayo, a Zulu word for you have it, a Sesotho meaning of Bona seo u ka se fihlelang (Look, what you can achieve or you can achieve it). The launch was held in Maseru on Monday. Unayo allows people to make transactions with ease by just using a mobile phone. Head of Digital Banking & Transformation, Bright Pita, said Unayo is a low-cost, one-stop platform that can be used as a vehicle for growing businesses, giving easier access to markets, making transacting more convenient, providing economic growth for the community, and ultimately making individual and collective dreams real. He said as the term suggests, Unayo means “you have it”. Pita said Unayo has made it possible for anyone to transact using a mobile phone by simply dialling *388# or downloading the Standard Lesotho Bank app with menu options available in English and Sesotho. He said self-on-boarding to the platform has been made even easier as there is no requirement to physically provide KYC paperwork. Pita said a self-employed professional who wants to save towards their goals and a hardworking contractor who wants to send money to his family can easily transact through Unayo. “To the humble shop owner who wants to give their everyday customer a better experience, Unayo is for everybody,’’ he said. He said the arrival of Unayo addresses the need for financial inclusion in the country and has given us the opportunity to increase customer-centricity, by continuing to engage and give impeccable services to all. He said Unayo is already operational in Botswana, Malawi and eSwatini with broader country deployments to follow. He said it increases prosperity and global market competitiveness. Pita said this platform is now available in every phone and in every network.