Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc has launched a product aimed at enhancing the growth and usage of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Nigeria.
The product is known as ATM-as-a Service (AAAS) and it is expected to address the challenges of ATM deployment, maintenance, security and efficiency.
With the launch of the AAAS, CWG Plc further strengthened its expertise with the employment of Ridwaan Hansia, a global expert in Information and Communication Technology. Hansia joined CWG in June 2016 as ATM Services Director.
The company said AAAS would enable banks to focus on core banking operations while increasing bank ATM deployment and coverage to ensure cost savings based on ATM volumes.
“CWG can provide all these with the infrastructural setup the business has to ensure efficient service delivery. These infrastructures cover technical service centre (ATM repair centre); Tier 3 data centre; satellite uplink facility; customer service centre; monitoring centre; training centre; application delivery and support team, and software development team,” Hansia said.
According to him, having such expertise housed in CWG Plc ensures that the company would be able to provide several services including ATM deployment, monitoring solution, logistics, handling of spares and parts replacement, secondary power solution and support, value added services, call centre services, multiple vendor management and software upgrades.
The Nigerian financial landscape has shifted dramatically in almost two decades with the introduction of ATM services making banking transactions easier, thus easing the pressure experienced by all parties within the banking halls. Prior to 2006, there was low usage of ATM in Nigeria; between 2007 and 2009, Nigeria added 10,000 ATMs until CBN imposed a policy on Off-site ATMs which hampered further growth.
In 2011, the CBN Policy was lifted, yet Nigeria has only added 5,945 ATMs till date due to inadequate capital from the banks; which has led to long queues at the few ATMs and congestion within banking halls as the number of ATMs across the country cannot meet customers’ demands
Hansia said AAAS will help banks surmount existing challenges with ATMs and further deepen the financial inclusion agenda of the government.
Meanwhile, Hansia has several years of experience and understands CWG’s need to enable growth, having worked in varying technical capacities across various African regions. His commitment to exceptional service, and passion for technology has seen his career progression since 1994 with IBM South African as the Service Operations Manager – Middle East and Africa, from where he moved to Diebold South Africa as Service Director in 1997; then went on to work with Diebold International as the Service Partner Operations Manager – Europe, ME & Africa; overseeing over about 35 countries.
