Standard Chartered has launched its first digital retail bank in Ivory Coast and its first customer is the country’s most famous footballer, Didier Drogba.

Drogba will promote Standard Chartered’s digital bank in Ivory Coast as a brand ambassador and lend his voice and image rights through a series of marketing and community engagement activities over the next 12 months as part of the campaign.

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StanChart has no branches in Ivory Coast but will offer a full range of services via its digital channel including remittances and bill payments.

According to StanChart, Ivory Coast has the fifth-highest mobile money penetration globally.

Sunil Kaushal, Regional CEO, Africa & Middle East, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Didier Drogba to launch our first digital bank. Drogba is an inspiration, not only due to his athletic excellence, but also for his generosity and commitment to giving back to his fellow Ivorians. Drogba’s priorities and ideals are very much in line with the Bank, making him an ideal partner for this momentous new offering.

“The launch of our digital bank in Côte d’Ivoire is an important chapter in our developing turnaround story for the region. Going digital also means progression, not just for our business, but also for our clients, and we look forward to revealing details of our first-ever digital bank very soon”.

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Drogba added: “I am excited to be working with Standard Chartered Bank and honoured to be chosen to support their efforts to enhance accessibility to banking services for the people of my country. This is an initiative which I am truly proud to be a part of, as the cause is close to my heart.

“I am also looking forward to spending more quality time in Côte d’Ivoire and getting involved in a cause that is of high importance to the local community. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to engage with my fans on social media to spread the word.”

Through the launch of the digital bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Didier Drogba hope to bridge the gap between the traditional banking model and the new, digital savvy generation in Côte d’Ivoire, aiming to make banking services simple, more accessible and convenient. Standard Chartered will hope that Drogba kick-starts its Ivory Coast digital operation with the kind of success enjoyed by DBS in India via its digibank operation, fronted by brand ambassador, cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar.

Launched as recently as 2016, DBS’ Digibank has already attracted over 2 million customers.