By Phiwa Sikhondze
Eswatini Bank has announced that it will have a dedicated small and medium enterprise (SME) banker in each of its 11 branches across the country, effective 1 April 2024.
The bank’s Executive Manager of Business Banking, Druce De Jesus Sargo, revealed this at the MTN Business Connect Seminar held last week Thursday, where he spoke about the opportunities and challenges in the retail sector.
Sargo said that the bank was putting more emphasis on the SME segment, which is a key driver of economic growth and job creation in the country. He said that the SME bankers will be closer to customers and be able to assist and understand their businesses better.
“We’re putting more emphasis on the SME side and part of that restructure is that we are going to have an SME banker in each of our branches. In the past, they were isolated in Mbabane, which is not going to work for a business person sitting down in Nhlangano. So, each of our 11 branches across the country will have an SME banker effective on the 1st of April 2024,” he said.
Sargo emphasized that the bank is committed to getting to know its customers better and providing them with the best possible service. To do this, he said that the SME bankers will be conducting site visits and learning more about how your businesses operate. He added that they believe that by understanding the SMEs’ needs and their operations, they can better serve and help them succeed.
The Executive Manager added that the SME bankers will also ensure that the bank provides the best-fit solutions for the customers’ needs, ranging from collections, payments, investments, financing, and insurance.
Sargo noted that the bank offers the full spectrum of commercial banking products, as well as its core mandate of developing local entrepreneurs and uplifting the business community.
He also highlighted the potential for growth and expansion in the retail sector, both in the domestic and export markets, and urged the SMEs to be careful and do their research before venturing into new territories.