• FirstBank DRC launched FirstMonie to lift digital products to 30% of total revenue.

• The app allows remote account opening in under five minutes and supports multiple mobile money networks.

• The bank plans to deploy 100,000 agents nationwide by 2029 to support adoption.

FirstBank DRC, a subsidiary of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings, launched its new digital banking application, FirstMonie, on January 28, 2026. The bank designed the app to strengthen its digital offering amid growing competition from mobile financial services.

The launch follows the bank’s 2024 strategic plan, which prioritizes expansion of retail and digital banking services.

FirstBank DRC outlined its digital ambitions in its 2024 annual report. The bank aims to raise the share of revenue generated by digital products to 30% of total turnover.

Total revenue reached 331.3 billion Congolese francs, or about $120 million, in 2024.

The bank highlighted remote account opening as the app’s main innovation. The app allows users to open a FirstBank DRC account without visiting a branch in less than five minutes.

The bank designed this feature to simplify access to banking services and accelerate customer acquisition.

Beyond remote account opening, FirstMonie allows users to transfer money to other electronic wallets, including M-Pesa, Orange Money, and Airtel Money. The app also supports transfers within the FirstBank ecosystem, including bank accounts and FirstMonie wallets.

According to local media present at the launch ceremony, FirstBank DRC E-Business Director Jérémie Lukusa said the app also enables bill payments, subscription payments, airtime purchases, and access to other low-cost innovative financial services. He did not disclose pricing details.

Users must fund their wallets through a FirstMonie agent, a transfer from a FirstBank account, or a deposit at a FirstBank branch. The effectiveness of FirstMonie will therefore depend on the scale of the agent network.

FirstBank DRC plans to deploy 100,000 agents across the country by 2029.

During the same event, FirstBank DRC Chairman Kandolo Kasongo said the application would continue to evolve with additional features. “This is a remarkable and unique innovation on the market. The application has been brilliantly tested and is very easy to use. It will continue to evolve: within a year, you will not recognize it,” he said, according to local media.

In neighboring countries such as Uganda, mobile wallets already support broader services, including government tax payments. This example highlights the potential for digital wallets to become core components of national financial ecosystems beyond basic money transfers.

This article was initially published in French by Timothée Manoke (Bankable)

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de BERRY QUENUM