FNB contactless payment system unveiled

By BUUMBA CHIMBULUFIRST National Bank (FNB) Zambia has launched a Tap to Pay-enabled Contactless Debit Cards onto the market in line with the digitisation journey.The new payment solution will make all purchases made via a Tap to Pay-enabled Point-of-Sale (POS) simpler and safer for its customers, says FNB Zambia Chief Executive Officer, Bydon Longwe.Mr Longwe said contactless cards allowed users to simply tap against any enabled Point of Sale machine to buy goods and services, without the card ever leaving their hand.“We absolutely thrilled to announce the rollout of FNB Contactless debit cards which we believe will contribute to an improved payments experience for all FNB cardholders.“With our over 3,100 POS machines (approximately 15 percent of the national total), these Tap to Pay-enabled Contactless cards will empower customers with a more convenient and safer way to make card payments at checkout,” he said in a statement.Mr Longwe said the result of this was added convenience, safety and security which is particularly important during this Covid-19 period.He said this innovative technology would also help to protect customers against card-related fraud such as skimming, as they no longer had to insert their card into the point of sale device.“According to data from the Bank of Zambia, an average of 2.7million card transactions were made per month at POS machines in the period January – June 2020.“FNB aims to minimise the reliance on cash with the launch of its Tap to Pay-enabled Contactless cards, by ensuring that customers have access to safe and cost-effective payment options that accommodate their day to day needs,” Mr Longwe said.He encouraged all customers to apply for a free new Tap to Pay-enabled Contactless card through any branch and start to enjoy a new card purchase experience when paying for everyday needs.Mr Longwe also encouraged businesses owners to take advantage of this opportunity to make customer transactions a more seamless and enjoyable experience.“Interested businesses can contact the Bank on 362 to apply for Contactless-enabled devices,” he said.