Rokel’s Innovative Solutions

 

Through its Agency Banking Roll-Out in farming communities, Rokel is advancing financial inclusion

By Aaron Parker

 

Rokel Commercial Bank officially launched its Agency Banking Roll-Out in farming communities in December 2024, marking a significant step towards improving financial inclusion in rural Sierra Leone in the years of 2025/2026. The initiative aims to provide basic financial services to underserved communities, particularly those engaged in agriculture, by offering cost-efficient banking solutions through agents rather than traditional bank branches.

The initiative was supported by Dr. Joe Tucker, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, who underscored the significance of financial inclusion in driving economic growth. He highlighted the partnership between Rokel Commercial Bank and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) through the Sierra Access to Finance project as a crucial step in bridging the gap in financial access, particularly in rural and agricultural communities.

Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin, Managing Director and CEO of Rokel Commercial Bank, presented the scope of the Agency Banking program, which aims to expand financial services to rural areas across the country. He outlined the bank’s ambitious goal of registering 25,000 new customers for digital financial services, particularly in rural areas, and engaging 12,500 active customers within a reasonable period. The program also aims to recruit 550 agents to strengthen the banking network. Dr. Gilpin emphasized the importance of educating farmers about financial inclusion and the benefits of utilizing digital banking systems to make wise financial decisions.

Kadiatu Allie, Deputy Minister of Finance, commended the bank for its efforts to improve financial access in rural areas. She described the initiative as a milestone in the financial sector’s efforts to address the challenges faced by underserved communities and emphasized that it aligns with the government’s Medium-Term National Development Plan 2024–2030.

Federico Capurro, a food system expert with the European Union (EU) delegation, provided insights into the EU’s “Jobs and Growth” initiative, which aims to create job opportunities in rural areas and promote financial inclusion, especially for women.

The UNCDF representative also reiterated UNCDF’s commitment to making public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s least developed countries, including Sierra Leone. He highlighted that despite the presence of various financial institutions, the financial inclusion rate remains low, especially in rural areas. He emphasized that the Agency Banking initiative, funded by the European Union under the ‘Salone Access to Finance’ program, is a key solution to address this gap.

The launch event also included a panel discussion on the future of financial inclusion for farmers in Sierra Leone, featuring experts from the Bank of Sierra Leone, UNCDF, and Rokel Commercial Bank. The panel was moderated by Joe Abass Bangura, who also had the honor of officially launching the Agency Banking Roll-Out in farming communities.

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has conferred Chartered Banker status on seven RCBank employees after they were inducted as Associate Members by the Institute in the years 2025/2026 in Lagos, Nigeria. The seven staff who completed their exams in 2024/2025 are now eligible to use the initials “ACIB” after their names.

Speaking on behalf of the awardees from Sierra Leone during the 2025 induction in Lagos, Nigeria, Adikali S. Kamara, Head of Operations at Rokel Commercial Bank, expressed profound gratitude and reflected on the significance of the occasion.

He acknowledged the vital role of the partnership between the Sierra Leone Association of Commercial Banks (SLACB) and CIBN in advancing banking professionalism in Sierra Leone. Kamara highlighted the challenges faced in pursuing professional banking education and praised the resilience of the inductees and the impact of the SLACB-CIBN collaboration in aligning their skills with global banking standards.

Kamara concluded with special gratitude to his Managing Director, Dr. Walton E. Gilpin, for his mentorship and guidance.