Coopbank Launches Prize Linked Savings
The Cooperative Bank of Oromia has launched a prize-linked savings program with enticing prizes. For the first time, the bank began the program with the goal of encouraging people to save, and at the same time win attractive prizes.
On top of the high interest rates calculated for; Sinqe- Women Savings Account, Gamme- Junior Savings Account, Youth Savings Account, Farmers Savings Account and Regular Savings Account, the bank is offering lotto numbers that will make customers eligible to win exciting prizes. Any eligible customer who saves for the program period starting at ETB 350, Coopbank of Oromia has prepared a total of 99 prizes! 1 two-bedroom apartment, 1 Suzuki Dzire 2021 model automobile, 3 three-wheel drives, 30 TVs, and 65 smart mobile phones that will be casted by lottery system.
The project will encourage people to save more since the more they save, the more lottery numbers they will be able to obtain, increasing their chances of winning. The bank has invested a significant amount of money in this program, which is expected to achieve two primary objectives. The first is that, because saving is a vital quality and people can utilize their money whenever they wish, such as in an emergency or to start a business, this program instills the habit of saving in our culture. The second is that 99 lucky people who use one of the aforementioned accounts will be chosen at random to win one of the attractive prizes.
You may go to a nearby branch of Coopbank to start saving today. Save for a better future.
Coopbank Introduces Farmers’ Savings Account
Ethiopia’s population is believed to be about 108 Million based on some estimates. Around 80-85 percent of its inhabitants live in rural areas and are engaged in agriculture. Frequent drought, lack of training and equipment for farmers, and poor access to markets make it difficult for them to earn a living. Beyond all, most of the problem occur due to the extravagant nature and low-level saving habit of the farmers.
During the harvest time, the farmers gain the yield and hence they are on the peak period. As a result, in this peak period, the farmer’s consumption and other expenditures reach the highest level although most of them are extravagant purchases. However, the harvesting period is not a peak in the price of their products as well as their savings, but a peak in the consumption, and hence they face difficulty during the lean period (post-harvesting time) and next year planting times.
Cooperative Bank of Oromia has become the first bank to provide Farmers' Savings Account with better interest and attractive rewards as well as interest free banking services to the community. As it is clearly stipulated on its mission of rooting in a larger community, the bank is able to develop a new product that for the first time, said to help people engaged in agricultural activities such as farming, fishing and animal husbandry etc. The product is believed to revolutionize the saving culture and bring a difference in the livelihoods of the farmers.
Farmer’s Saving Account is a saving account that is uniquely designed for farmer’s bearing attractive interest rate paid monthly and offers various rewards on a lottery system mainly farming tools such as Tractors. The product is designed to encourage the unbanked and underbanked farmers save and leverage the enormous untouched potential, and ultimately transform their living.
Coopbank and Ethiopian Airlines has Signed a Memorandum of Understanding
Cooperative Bank of Oromia, Ethiopian Airlines Group, and Ethiopian Airlines Group Primary Basic Trade Union has signed a Memorandum of Understanding today at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel. The agreement was signed by Obbo Deribie Asfaw, the President of Cooperative Bank of Oromia, Ato Tewelde GebreMariam, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group , and Engineer Telila Dheresa, the President of EAG Primary Basic Trade Union. It’s noted on the event that the bank has already established a working relationship with EAG in areas of digital banking, strengthening of cooperatives in providing vegetables, milk and other agricultural produces to ET, and provision of financing to the employees of the company. The MoU is said to strengthen the already established business relationship between the signing organs in order to further enhance the growth of both companies.
5th Round Forex Award Program Winners
Cooperative Bank of Oromia handed over prizes of The 5th Round Forex Award Program to the winners. The management and employees of the bank and other stakeholders have attended the event that took place at the bank’s headquarters building.
Obbo Deribie congratulated the winners and spoke of the bank’s achievements and challenges. Speaking of the bank’s semi-annual performance, the bank’s president confirmed that the bank was able to collect forex amounted to USD142 million. Its branch networks reached 433 across the country with 7 million total numbers of customers, and its total asset reached ETB 65 Billion. He also conveyed his message to the community to receive remittances through formal channels in order to protect themselves from fraud and use Coopbank’s vast network of branches as well as more than 13 active money transfer operators throughout the country for ease of access.
ISUZU NPR truck with 40 quintals was handed over to Adde Tayba from Ogolcha, Arsi. In addition, three three-wheelers and ten LED televisions were handed over to the winners at the ceremony.
OCFU’s “One-Koo”Modern Coffee Factory Inaugurated
Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union inaugurated One-Koo coffee processing plant in Galan town whose construction cost 48 Million ETB financed by Cooperative Bank of Oromia. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the president of Cooperative Bank of Oromia, Obbo Deribie Asfaw, several other officials, and the interested stakeholders.
This coffee roasting, grinding & packaging factory produces 420Kgs of coffee per hour for local and international markets. Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union can now export value-added products & earn more proceeds than raw coffee exports. It will also create an additional 200 jobs.
Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, one of the highest exporters of coffee in Ethiopia, has more than 400 cooperatives and more than 557,000 farmers as a member. The Cooperative Union is one of the major shareholders of the bank.
Coopbank’s Transitional Head quarter Construction Well in Progress
Construction of Cooperative Bank of Oromia’s transitional headquarter, a 16-story building, which was started in the last fiscal year, is advancing as planned and is assumed to be complete in the coming year.
The transitional headquarters, which is underway around Bole Rwanda, in Addis Ababa(Finfinne) is being built by Chinese Contactor China Wu Yi Co. Ltd and Image consultancy PLC the consultant firm.
At the end of August 2020, the construction of the curtain wall is under progress, air ventilation and fire sprinkler system are also under progress while gypsum work has been completed.
This transitional headquarter building will house its own special branch in its lower floors while the Bank’s Head Office staff populates the upper floors
The bank is making the construction of multi-purpose building project at Waliso and Jimma and will continue constructing own buildings in various parts of the country
The bank expands IFB service from window-based to branches
Coopbank is currently increasing its number of Interest Free Banking branches to more than 13.
Since the country is home to a large number of Muslims, they are not are not interested in using common banking services for it’s not in line with the rules of their faith. With this in mind, the bank is opening Interest-Free Banking branches in various cities of the country.
Acquiring an adequate experience from different parts of the world, public and private banks in the country are providing this service to meet the needs of their customers. Likewise, Coopbank is also increasing its number of branches which was only available through one window previously.
The expansion of the branches will help to provide affordable service and satisfaction to its customers.
In addition, to meet the needs of its customers, it has facilitated the provision of digital banking services based on Sharia law by providing Halal ATM card and Coopay E-birr.
The bank is working hard to achieve its goals and be the pride of its customers.
Cooperative Bank of Oromia’s profit rose by 85.47pc to ETB 1.42 billion
Cooperative Bank of Oromia made a record operating profit of ETB 1.42 billion in the 2019/20 fiscal year, a rise of 85.47pc from the last fiscal year. It is the highest in the previous 15 years journey of the bank, making it the third most profitable private bank in the country. The earnings per share for the year became 47pc, up from the last fiscal year’s 36pc.
The bank attributed the impressing operating profit performance of during the period mainly to our effective revenue and expense management practices.
During the fiscal year, the bank was able to generate a revenue volume of ETB 5.74 billion, which grew by birr 2.03 billion compared to the same period the previous year, mainly attributed to the growth of the bank’s loans and advances as an interest income stood at ETB 4.16 billion, 72.4pc of total revenues.
Consolidated non-interest income generated was ETB 1.58 billion, which grew by 75.77pc from the last fiscal year. The bank mainly attributed to increased income of commission and service charge from Forex and IFB income.
Coopbank Set off New Strategy
Toward realization of its vision “To be the leading private bank in Ethiopia by 2025”, Coopbank has recently set off a new strategy.
Obbo Deribe Asfaw, President of the bank says that the last strategy period (2016-2020) laid a strong foundation for the bank’s journey towards its set vision.
According to the President, the new strategy which is planned to be implemented soon will not only hugely transform the bank, but also mobilizes the resources to move the country’s economy forward.
According to the bank’s president, another issue that the bank will focus on in this new strategic era is the creation of fixed asset. Amongst many, it is planned to start the construction of the bank’s head quarters next year in Finfinne and construction of several other buildings in major cities of the country, in particular.
On the other hand, “if, unexpectedly, a government’s economic policy introduces foreign financial institutions to the country’s financial market, the new strategy is said to help foresee the bank to move on track regardless of the expected stiff competition that follows. In line with this, the new strategy also takes into account the introduction of other local banks under formation and Islamic banks’ impact on Coopbank,” says Obbo Deribie.
He further adds, “another major focus of the strategy is an advancement of technological capability and the human resource development, which are believed to be the backbone in the advancement of the bank.
Coopbank has joined International Cooperative Alliance
The Cooperative Bank of Oromia has joined the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), an independent non-governmental organization representing co-operatives in the globe. The Alliance was founded in 1895, and its members are national and international co-operative organizations in all sectors of activity, including agriculture, banking, credit and saving, industry, insurance, fishing, social housing, health, public services, consumer services, and tourism. The main objective of the ICA is to promote and strengthen co-operatives all over the world. Furthermore, the alliance endeavors to encourage and defend the values and principles of the co-operative movement, stimulates mutually beneficial relations between its member
organizations and favors the economy and social progress of people.
We, Cooperative Bank of Oromia, are a bank established by the co-operative movement to play our share in delivering financial services to the unbanked and underbanked communities as well as to sustain the co-operative institutions. With about 67 percent of our shareholdings being held by co-operative societies, we have a unique operating model and value propositions for co-operatives. We are also one of the largest banks in the Ethiopian banking industry, with huge retail branch networks in rural areas. With these premises, the Bank placed a membership request to the alliance by fulfilling all the necessary evidence and conditions. Located in Brussels — Belgium, the Membership Committee of the ICA Board afterward agreed to admit our Bank as a member.
Becoming a member of the alliance will benefit the bank for global networking, for learning and adopting the latest best practices globally in cooperative movement, and for global representation and decision-making which enables us to take
part in the global decision-making process regarding the strategy of the international cooperative movement. Additionally,
the bank has also joined International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA), an association representing cooperative financial institutions and cooperative banks, affiliated, to the ICA.