Fidelity Bank has launched a digital self-onboarding solution for its innovative Smart Account, a minimum-effort “Know Your Customer” (KYC) requirement account that was launched in 2014 to extend financial services to the unbanked and underbanked in Ghana.

The new platform has made it easy to open a Fidelity Smart Account from any location using the shortcode *776#.

Through this initiative, all prospective Smart Account customers can open an account remotely with their phones without visiting a branch or filling out forms.

It is simple, fast, and easy to use, and clients need only a valid national ID card and no additional documentation to open an instant account, the bank announced in a statement.

In addition, since the account opening process is USSD-based, there is no need for internet connectivity. 

The Fidelity Smart Account comes with a daily deposit and withdrawal limit of GHS5,000 and GHS2,000, respectively.

One can also deposit and withdraw easily at any of the bank’s 5,000 Agent Points nationwide or via MoMo using the shortcode *776#.

Customers are automatically linked to mobile banking services to enjoy features such as airtime top-ups and transfers.

Speaking at the launch of the new digital self-onboarding solution, Esi Mills-Robertson, the Director of Inclusive Banking, stated: “We understand that today's customers expect a dynamic and personalised experience that gives them the freedom to bank without limitations. After a careful study of the market, we anticipated the need for customers to open an account via USSD in real-time and this birthed the instant USSD mobile account opening solution for the Smart Account.”

“With this digital self-onboarding solution, the Smart Account now joins our growing list of digital innovations like our online web account opening portal and Kukua, our WhatsApp Banking Assistant, to give customers the flexibility of banking anywhere and anytime. The move is also intended to reduce in-person interactions during this COVID-19 pandemic era,” she added.

The bank said the launch of the instant USSD mobile account opening solution is another example of how it continues to make banking services easily accessible, affordable and convenient.