Zenith Bank has started the year boldly with operation Retail Storm in which the bank staff mounted branded stands at strategic parts of Lagos to woo customers and bring its services closer to the people.

A bank staff who spoke to our reporter said the exercise will spread nationwide and “it is to bring our services closer to the people and a way to deepen financial inclusion by reaching out to the unbanked”.

In some parts of Lagos, Zenith Bank staff were seen in branded T-shirts at Zenith Bank-branded stands where scores of Nigerians gathered to be a part of the banking outreach.

Our reporter counted dozens of persons filling out forms to open zero-deposit accounts with the bank. At Iyana-Ejigbo along Egbe Road in Lagos, the bank erected a stand close to the popular Ejigbo market where scores of people trooped in, some to open new accounts with the bank and others just to make inquiries.

Zero-deposit account means that a customer can open an account with Zenith Bank without any cash or cheque deposit. ”We want to encourage more people to bank with us; besides, CBN has a policy on financial inclusion, Zenith Bank as a top player and market leader is helping to promote and strengthen the policy of financial inclusion,” said a staff who preferred not to be named.

Zenith Bank Plc recently reported N88.9 billion profit in the first half of 2019.

This is an increase of 8.7%as against N81.7 billion recorded in the same period in 2018. Other financial metrics posted positive growth as it declared a proposed interim dividend pay-out of 30 kobo per share.

Per the financial statement, the bank’s pre-tax profit for the second quarter of the year grew by 4.02% to N111.68billion compared to N107.36 billion in the same period for last year, while earnings per share rose to N2.83 from N2.60 in 2018.