It’s February, the month of love and a second chance to start the year on a good note, after the fastest sapa month (January) ever! There is no need to feel down if your new year resolutions haven’t kicked off on the best note. The beginning of the year is usually bumpy for most of us. What matters is that you don’t give up on them!

Every year, you resolve to improve your life rather than binge-watch an entire sitcom season on the eve. From learning new skills to furthering your career to finally setting up a savings account to avoid starring in an episode of “stories that touch” or joining a gym for the ultimate #summerbody, the New Year symbolises a time for positive change. It represents an opportunity to turn a new leaf, be better and avoid becoming flagbearers for the “I need urgent 2k” geng.

While we can’t prevent you from being a couch potato this year (lol), we can reward you for simply stepping up your savings game! Gone are the days of traditional savings schemes that give no tangible returns. As the saying goes, “Money makes the world go around“, so yours should work for you too, and deliver good returns.

However, having money locked away in a “savings” account these days just doesn’t cut it anymore; people want more value for their savings. Omo! People need systems that incentivise the discipline to save and deliver higher returns that help meet their savings goal(s). Consider inflation!

Lately, banks and fintech platforms are attempting to meet these demands by setting up schemes offering duration-based interest rates between 1 and 3%. However, the unnecessary complexity, low-interest rates, and rigidity make these schemes unappealing for customers who need real value, flexibility, and easy access. Quite frankly, the interest is not worth the stress.

So, where do we find an easy, access zero risk and 100% secured digital savings scheme available to all with interest rates as high as 10% in Nigeria? Does it even exist? Well, e dey. It’s called iNest by FCMB, and here’s what “people wey sabi” are saying. You be the judge!

Saving for rent without stress – Jubril Abass
“Weeks after I got my allowance, I could not channel my earnings towards anything in particular. But since I signed up on iNest, I am now able to save for my rent without hassles and still end up having something left from the interest I received on my savings.”

Got my new phone with iNEST – Idris Ayoola.
“Thanks to iNest by FCMB, I was able to save up for my new iPhone without having to apply for any instalment payment plan…it was all me and iNest.”

Life don balance with iNest – Temilade Adekeye.
“I’ve never been a fan of being penalised for taking my own money from my own account, simply because I decided to withdraw earlier than a set date. Is it not my money?! So, when I discovered iNest by FCMB, it came as a breath of fresh air to find out that I could make part or complete withdrawals from my savings for contingencies without worrying about default penalties or losing my interest. It’s amazing! In this case, life don balance!”

I became a car owner thanks to my iNest Savings – Timothy Okocha.
“For a year and a half, I’ve been trying to save up for a car. I earn a decent income, so it might be easy to assume that keeping money for a car would come with no hassles whatsoever… right? Wrong! My inability to commit to a saving pattern and the deductions I make every now and then made it nearly impossible to get my car. But last year, thanks to my iNest savings (lock up plan), I was able to buy my car and have enough to register it from the interest. I ended 2021 with a bang!!”

I paid my daughter’s school fees with iNest – Tilewa Aiyedun.
“As someone whose income doesn’t follow a salary framework, deciding when and what percentage of my income to save poses a challenge. It usually ends up with me forgetting to put funds aside or having to make a one-time bulk payment for things I could have easily saved up for, like my daughter’s school fees. But thanks to the simplicity of iNest by FCMB, and the savings calculator on the platform, I’ve been able to open a savings plan targeted towards paying her fees at the exact moment when due. She also gets the interest as her school allowance. Everything is sorted out!”


iNest by FCMB is an easy access, zero risk and 100% secured incentive-based digital savings scheme. It’s available to everyone, including non-FCMB customers. iNest by FCMB helps you save money towards specified goals in a manner that gives you absolute control with up to 10% returns on your savings. You determine how much and when to save and access your funds with a few clicks on the FCMB New Mobile Banking App. Potential FCMB customers can access the iNest platform via www.fcmb.com/i-nest or through the FCMB new mobile app. Start saving today

The FCMB is having issues with the iNest as many people are currently unable to withdraw their money.
When you try to login, the system tells you to reset your password, but they never send you any password reset email.
iNest would appear to have gone burst and FCMB staff have run out of excuses to tell customers and no longer taking calls.
I suspect the FCMB will pull the service shortly or this could be the beginning of the end for the bank.