Business
Seylan Bank secures customer safety through digital banking platforms
Seylan Bank, the bank with a heart, has set out an array of digital banking platforms facilitating a safer and convenient option for customers to carry out financial transactions from home, as Sri Lanka navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic.
As consumers move most of their financial transactions to online and mobile channels in an attempt to minimize trips to brick-and-mortar bank branches, digital banking continues to play a key role in the financial service industry. Understanding customer needs and placing customer experience at the core of their banking operations; Seylan Bank offers a range of digital banking platforms including Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, Internet Payment Gateways, Merchant Portal Services, E-Statements, SMS Alerts, Pay Roll Services, ATM and Kiosk channels, ensuring utmost convenience to all Seylan customers.
With an all-new, feature-packed, and personalized online banking experience, Seylan Internet Banking has new and exciting tools, offering customers easy access to manage their finances online from any web-enabled device with internet access. Further, those who wish to carry out their financial transactions on their mobile can experience a streamlined and simplified user experience through the Seylan Mobile Banking app. The application offers extensive features enabling customers to carry out financial transactions ranging from fund transfers to utility bill payments, checking account balances, and many more right at their fingertips on any Android or iOS mobile device.
With a marked increase in consumers shifting to e-commerce to purchase goods and services, people prefer to use cash less, and instead, opt to carry out payments online. Through the Seylan Internet Payment Gateway service, all customers and Seylan merchants will benefit from a range of features that deliver a streamlined user experience, eliminating the need for cash payments. E-business merchants, online retailers, and other enterprises can accept consumer payments through the gateway. Alongside the IPG service, Seylan Bank offers the ‘Seylan Merchant Portal’, the first fully-fledged multipurpose Digital Payment Platform in Sri Lanka, which is a fully customizable payment platform that can be enabled within a day of the customer’s request. The service is open to merchants with or without a website that do not have an online payment acceptance mechanism, social media-based business page owners, and or shop owners with only email, looking to enable digital transactions to accept payments.
With customers unable to visit banking outlets due to health and hygiene concerns surrounding the pandemic, Seylan customers are offered the convenient and hassle-free option of checking their credit card and or account balance via SMS Alerts and get their card or account statements securely delivered on time as an E-Statement. Customers can also receive real-time updates on all transactions that happen through their Credit or Debit card with Seylan SMS alerts.
The Seylan Payroll solution is yet another option for organisations to manage a wide range of financial transactions, remotely and in an efficient manner. The service covers a variety of services including salary disbursement, EPF remitting, facilitating supplier payments, and disbursing commissions and dividends, all in a convenient environment, without the need to visit a bank branch.
For customers that still wish to carry out cash withdrawals or make cash and cheque deposits, can simply do so by visiting Seylan Bank’s Kiosk network inclusive of island-wide ATMs, Cash deposit Machines, and Cheque Deposit Kiosks, without having to go through the hassle of visiting a branch teller.
Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, operates with a vision to offer the ultimate banking experience to its valued customers through cutting-edge technology, innovative products, and best-in-class services. The Bank has a growing clientele of SMEs, Retail and Corporate Customers, and has expanded its footprint with 173 branches, 70 Cash Deposit Machines, 66 Cheque Deposit Machines, and an ATM network of 216 units across the country. Seylan Bank has been endorsed as a financially stable organization with performance excellence across the board by Fitch Ratings, with the bank’s national long-term rating revised to ‘A’ (lka). The bank was ranked second among public listed companies for transparency in corporate reporting by Transparency Global and is now part of the S&P Dow Jones SL 20 Index. These achievements are a testament to Seylan Bank’s financial stability and unwavering dedication to ensuring excellence across all aspects. For more information on products and services please visit www.seylan.lk.
Business
SIA warns of 1,000 SME collapses, urges fair policies to protect Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector
By Sanath Nanayakkare
The Solar Industries Association (SIA), representing over 1,000 companies and employing 40,000 workers in Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector, issued a stern warning recently regarding threats to the industry’s survival and the nation’s renewable energy ambitions. The association condemned recent regulatory instability and called for urgent policy reforms to avert economic and social crises.
The SIA categorically rejected the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) claim that rooftop solar installations caused the recent island-wide power outage, calling the accusation “baseless and misleading.”
“Public trust is eroded when accountability is misdirected,” the SIA stated. “We demand an independent, transparent investigation led by experts appointed by the Ministry or the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL). The CEB’s unilateral statements disregard the sector’s contributions and jeopardize Sri Lanka’s renewable energy transition,” they said.
“While acknowledging the formation of a tariff determination committee, the SIA criticized its narrow focus on financial parameters, ignoring the sector’s socioeconomic value. Rooftop solar empowers businesses and households with energy independence, reduces grid strain, and supports climate goals. However, proposed volatile tariff structures risk destabilizing over 100,000 installations—primarily owned by middle-class families—and deter future investment,” they noted.
“A rigid, equation-based tariff system is unsustainable,” the association warned. “Sri Lanka needs a stable policy framework to attract long-term investments. For instance, retirees could invest EPF savings into solar projects, securing income while advancing national energy targets. Without urgent action, 1,000 SMEs and 40,000 jobs face collapse, with dire consequences for employment, energy security, and economic stability,” they pointed out.
SIA urged policymakers to establish an independent committee to investigate the power outage fairly, expand the tariff committee’s mandate to include socioeconomic and environmental benefits and implement predictable policies to safeguard SMEs, households, and investor confidence.
“Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads,” the SIA emphasized. “Protecting rooftop solar isn’t just about energy—it’s about livelihoods, economic resilience, and a sustainable future. We urge stakeholders to collaborate on solutions that prioritize both people and progress,: they emphasized.
Starting its promotional work for 2025, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) added another feather into its cap of endorsements, by being recognized as the most innovative Tourism Board promotion in Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) . In parallel to that, several other sub events were held. The OTM was held in Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai—India, from 30th January to 01st February 2025.Before OTM, the Global Village – Global Exchange & Trade Exhibition was held at the Surat International Exhibition & Convention Centre , Sarsana, Surat (Gujarat – India , from 25th to 27th January 2025. This travel fair was organized by Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI).
Sri Lanka participated in both OTM and South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE), held from 19th – 21st Feb 2025, in New Delhi, India . This was an excellent opportunity for Sri Lanka to promote it’s potential as a unique travel destination, especially for the Indian counterparts, as SLTPB has identified India as the number one source market for Sri Lanka, tourism bringing the largest number of tourist arrivals to the destination.
SLT-MOBITEL has entered into a strategic partnership with Rush Lanka Group to provide exclusive SLT-MOBITEL Fibre connectivity solutions to their portfolio of luxury apartment developments in Colombo and the suburbs, enhancing the digital experience of all residents.
The agreement was signed between Imantha Wijekoon, Chief Business Officer of Consumer Business at SLT, and Zaid Ariff, Director of Construction at the Rush Group headquarters. Representatives from both companies also attended the ceremony.
Under the partnership, SLT-MOBITEL will serve as the exclusive digital service provider for five prestigious Rush Lanka developments including Street Rush Residencies and Rush Court 4 in Mt. Lavinia, Rush Tower 2, Rush Metropolis in Dehiwala, and Rush Court 5 in Colombo 14. The collaboration ensures residents will enjoy superior fibre connectivity speeds, enabling seamless digital experiences in modern smart homes. The partnership with the Rush Lanka Group aligns with SLT-MOBITEL’s commitment to offer ultra-fast, reliable connectivity solutions to residential developments. Delivering exclusive fibre connectivity to luxury apartments, SLT-MOBITEL ensures residents have access to world-class digital services that complement the living experience promised by Rush Lanka Group.
Powered by advanced fibre technology, SLT-MOBITEL network will provide the residences with seamless performance across digital activities. The SLT-MOBITEL Fibre backbone ensures lag-free experiences whether tenants are gaming online, attending virtual classes, working remotely, or streaming high-definition entertainment. SLT-MOBITEL Fibre will transform the lifestyles of all apartment users bringing greater convenience and superior quality of life.
Rush Lanka Group, established in 1992, is a property developer specializing in luxury and semi-luxury apartments.
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