The National Investment Bank (NIB) is to open 22 more branches across the country, within the next three years (2015-17), as part of an expansion drive to bring banking services closer to the people.

This will bring to 50 the number of branches of NIB, a state-owned universal financial institution, which has been in existence for 51 years now.

Mr Ernest Mawuli Agbesi, Chief Executive Officer of NIB, announced this at a reception organised by the bank for its staff and customers in Tamale, to network, to better understand their businesses.

Mr Agbesi said the decision to open more branches was to reposition NIB to continue to play its pivotal role towards the industrialization of the country, as well as stimulate the growth of small, and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across the country.

He said NIB has introduced new products, including a SMEs package, to assist operators across the country to improve as well as expand their business.

He said NIB has also come out with a consumer banking facility, which enables customers and salaried workers to purchase, especially, household items with the bank pre-financing the deal, whilst the customer then pays for the items within a year without interest.

He gave the assurance that NIB would continue to develop innovative products to address the needs of the public, and urged them to do business with the bank.

Mr David Fiawotso, Tamale Branch Manager of NIB, thanked customers and residents in the region for their confidence in NIB, and assured them that the bank would continue to serve their interest.