Recently, Bank Phb launched the Pink Account for women. And I find it quite interesting and curious!

But I have a question, why women and not men? It sounds to me to be a feminine issue here. Why the entire hullabaloo on women saving, having an account, etc?! I personally find it amusing and at the same time disquieting. Access Bank also has an account call GEM for women only, and a finance house also had an account, a mutual funds for women. And am wondering, what’s the problem?! To BankPHB, Pink Account is more than a product. It is a special platform for Women Banking, the platform that shall carry many future initiatives from BankPHB, on special banking services for women to enable them to live and enjoy a good life.

The benefit that was stated by Bank PHB includes;

1. Financing for baby care products. This will afford the expectant mother, the opportunity to acquire all the necessary and top quality baby products from MotherCare.  These items include baby cot, sterilizing equipment, car seat, etc. This package is from N24, 000 monthly (for 12 months) and there are three packages available for her to choose from.
2. Financing to enable the woman acquire kitchen appliances like deep freezer, micro wave oven, gas cooker, washing machine, etc  or have a total kitchen makeover with top class kitchen cabinets designed to her taste. This package is from N14, 000 monthly (for 12 months) and there is an option of choosing a total kitchen makeover or selecting the appliances.
3. Jewelry Financing: Every woman knows good quality jewelry last forever and can be passed on from generation to generation. Our jewelry package will enable the modern woman acquire valuable jewelry that will dazzle like gold, diamonds and gemstones. The woman can pick whatever jewelry she wants from our partner stores with a minimum value of N150,000 and pay back over a period of 12 months.
4. Discount on Fashion and Beauty items: Each Pink account holder will enjoy instant discount (up to 20%) from our Partner stores for fashion and beauty items like clothes, shoes, beauty products and accessories to enhance her appearance.
5. Pink Card and Cheque Book: Each account holder will also get a Pink Discount card and Cheque books.

Now, all these benefits are fantastic and mouth watering I must say! But I am not been chauvinistic here, but I can’t help wondering, has all the accounts in the different banks till date being for men only? Or banks are now targeting gender based accounts? It’s a question that I need some answers to please.

In as much as it’s a good thing, but I think the banks are treading on an unfair ground. Come to think of it, if it had been the other way round, won’t we be hearing the shout of marginalization! Women Empowerment! Victimization! ETC! Looking at the benefits stated here, it’s clear who the target is even amongst the women, the upwardly mobile corporate woman! Where is the Market woman? Where is the young average woman who this does not ideally appeal too? The young woman, trying to earn a living?

I think, there are some gray areas that need to be looked at, and the need to downplay the feminist tone about the accounts. Women empowerment is good, but let’s not take it too far.