Fans reap fortune in NMB-Yanga deal

NMB Bank has signed a memorandum with Young Africans that aims to increase the efficiency of membership registration through their cards to be issued at NMB branches from July 10th, 2023.

NMB Bank has made history, being the first bank to sign the agreement with the Premier League’s defending champions on Sunday at the bank’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam.

Representatives from the both parties signed the MOU. President Hersi Said and Acting Chief Executive Officer Simon Patrick represented Yanga while the bank’s representative were Chief of Retail Banking, Filbert Mponzi.

Other delegates from NMB included NMB’s Chief of Credit, Daniel Mbotto and the Head of Card Business, Philbert Casmir.

Speaking at the event, Mponzi, said they are set to use their wide network, which includes more than 228 branches across the country, to register members and fans of Yanga, including teenagers below 18.

“This agreement will set a big mark in the Tanzanian sports sector and change the system and all financial attitudes for football fans through digital services, including NMB Mkononi, which includes affordable loans through Mshiko Fasta.

“Our thanks to the leadership of Yanga for giving us this opportunity to serve this large group of stakeholders; we invite all branches from July 10th this year to register and collect their cards while we promise them great things to come,” Mponzi stressed.

Mponzi highlighted that for a member to get a card at NMB branches, the party must pay 34,000/- as an annual fee and card payment, while the amount to be paid by a fan to get the card is 22,000/- accounting the annual fee and card.

Mponzi noted that, besides being membership or fan cards, the new cards will work like other NMB bank cards, including making transactions, depositing money to use in ATMs and online payments and benefiting from various discounts.

On his part, Yanga President Hersi thanked NMB for agreeing to sign the agreement, which he mentioned as a solution to the challenge that hindered the previous systems of registration of members through the N-Card, which conducted its registration processes at the branches of the old club.

“After the change in the operating system, member registration was being done in our branches by the N-Card Company, which enabled us to get about 49,000 members; however, we encountered the challenge of registering them and secondly the delay of the card after registration. “Therefore, Yanga fans and supporters, let me assure you that all those challenges and others will be resolved with this agreement with NMB, who will use their branches and agents scattered throughout the country.

That’s why I say the problem of card registration and delays problem have ended; we have found a partner, NMB,” said Hersi.

Through the agreement, Yanga will benefit in different areas, including serving all their members and fans through NMB branches and agents nationwide to get cards quickly and various NMB promotions.

Those with N-Card registration are required to go to NMB to renew the card by paying in the new payment procedure for the season from July 1st this year to June 30th next year; who is not a member of Yanga, but an NMB customer, will be required to go to the branch to connect the account of membership and cards ready to make card deductions.