Featured Finance

FMBN inaugurates digital mobile App to boost NHF scheme

By Elizabeth ADENUGA

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) on Wednesday, inaugurated a digital mobile application to enable National Housing Fund (NHF) contributors to have unfettered access to the operations of the scheme.

The NHF Mobile App is an FMBN Information Technology service delivery channel based on internet and mobile platforms for contributors to conveniently get updates on their contributions.

During the inauguration of the mobile App in Abuja, FMBN Managing Director, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa, said that contributors could easily get NHF updates by dialing *219# USSD Short Code on mobile phones.

Dangiwa noted that contributors could equally access the scheme through the NHF Mobile App for android and iOS platforms, revamped www,fmbn.gov.ng online self service kiosk and SMS as well as email notifications.

“This is in line with the` FMBN digiALL’ philosophy of efficiency, transparency, accountability and excellent service delivery.

‘‘NHF contributors will now be empowered to request NHF information ‘on the go’ from anywhere in the world.

“Using any platform, an NHF contributor will be empowered to update his or her personal information records on our data base, check status of NHF contributions, and retrieve his or her NHF registration number.

“A contributor can also request for statements of account, calculate mortgage affordability and repayment, and search for NHF-related information from a bulletin board service,’’ he added.

Dangiwa said that on assumption in office in May 2017, some of the challenges being experienced in the implementation of the scheme were brought to the management attention to tackle.

He listed the challenges to include non-remittance of deductions of NHF contributions by some employers, under remittance of contributions by most employers and non provision of remittance schedules of deductions.

He added that contribution records had been updated and maintained in passbooks as against the practice in the past when most contributors did not know the status of their contributions.

Dangiwa said having critically evaluated the issues, the management decided to automate the process and give NHF contributors unfettered access to information pertaining their contributions and policies associated with the scheme.

“The decision to focus on *219# service out of all available channels was borne-out of the desire to realise the huge potential of the mobile penetration in Nigeria, as the preferred medium of reaching out to our teeming contributors.’’

He appealed to Nigerians in the private sector and self- employed persons to join the NHF 2.5 per cent monthly contributions.

He said the contributions would open doors for a wide range of loans that attract single digit interest rate of six per cent.

He also emphasised that the FMBN would always refund contributors who had retired or resigned with interest, in line with the provisions of the NHF Act.

The NHF Mobile App Chief Consultant, Mr Edwin Okoro, described the FMBN App as an ecosystem of innovative mobile messaging integrated into a single suite.

Okoro said the FMBN App was capable of addressing challenges associated with effective monitoring of NHF.

The consultant said the system would give contributors a superior customer experience, increased access to their contributions and greater transparency.

He stated that the system would make available to contributors clearer disclosure and convenience from the comfort of their homes and offices or while on the go.

 

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