A leading commercial bank in East Africa sought to extend its services beyond urban centres to underserved rural and peri-urban communities. Traditional branch expansion was capital-intensive, slow to deploy, and economically unviable in low-density areas. As a result, millions of potential customers remained unbanked, limiting financial inclusion and constraining the bank’s long-term growth strategy.
Service Cops Group partnered with the bank to deploy its Agent Banking Platform, enabling everyday retail outlets such as shops, fuel stations, and pharmacies to function as fully enabled banking agents. Within months, the platform supported over 10,000 agents, each equipped to offer services including account opening, deposits, withdrawals, bill payments, and balance inquiries. The platform was designed for high availability, regulatory compliance, and real-time transaction monitoring to ensure trust and operational integrity.
Within 24 months, the bank achieved a 400% expansion in its service footprint without the need for physical branches. More than two million previously unbanked customers were onboarded, while cost-to-serve was reduced by 60% compared to traditional branch banking. The agent network now processes over 500,000 transactions monthly, creating new revenue streams for agents and strengthening local economies. The initiative significantly advanced the bank’s financial inclusion objectives while delivering measurable commercial returns.