FNB nav» uses gamification to reward and improve money management habits among South Africans

The most critical tasks and habits for better life outcomes are often the most difficult to implement. In fact, the world’s largest online behavioural science destination, Psychology Today, outlines that bad habits are easy and good habits are hard.

This reality extends across all parts of the human experience, from forming habits and rituals that cultivate a healthy lifestyle to those that ensure healthy personal finance and money management.

Fortunately, global experts like game designer Nick Pelling, who was once tasked with developing game-like interfaces for ATMs and vending machines, developed the theory of “gamification” after realising that game mechanics and concepts could be applied to non-gaming contexts.

“The use of gamification is key to influencing behavioural change in the financial services industry, where good habits can mean the difference between a healthy, secure bank balance and serious financial troubles. As we seek to provide meaningful help in the day-to-day lives of our customers at FNB, we combine integrated advice, technology and gamification to help them manage their money more effectively,” says Jolandé Duvenage, FNB’s Chief Imagineer for nav».

Milestone for FNB’s nav» platform

Incidentally, FNB recently announced a major milestone for its flagship nav» platform.

Housed within its banking app and with USSD integration, the bank announced that 5 million customers now use its nav» Money tool, empowering millions of users with smart resources for personal finance management like budgeting. 

“As we celebrate this milestone, we’re also excited to give back to our customers by adding value to their lives beyond banking and rewarding their loyalty,” says Duvenage, adding that the success of nav» is also the success of the bank’s customers.

To mark the celebration of this milestone, FNB has designed a nav» Gamification Campaign geared towards encouraging customers to explore the nav» hub, take advantage of its powerful tools, and enter a competition for a chance to win amazing prizes, including:

• Mission 1: Win 1 of 10 PlayStation 5 Slimline consoles + 20 x R2000 KFC vouchers
• Mission 2: Win 1 of 10 iPhone 16 Pros + 20 x R2000 Nike vouchers
• Mission 3: Win the Haval H6 GT + 5 x fuel for a year in eBucks valued at R60 000 each

“The campaign went live on the FNB & RMB Private Bank App on 10 March — and we’re already seeing some amazing engagement on social media. And it’s more than just a competition, it’s a chance to engage customers through exciting missions and tasks while, most importantly, improving their money management skills,” adds Duvenage.

How to boost campaign entries

The campaign, ending on 9 June 2025, has three missions allowing multiple entries per person – meaning better chances to win. Customers can boost their entries by:

• Completing app tasks on nav» (1 entry each)
• Finding and sharing the special competition badges on social media using the hashtag #FNBnavLife (100 entries each)
• Clicking and viewing offers in nav» (100 entries each)
• Switching their cheque account and transacting (100 entries each)

To start playing, users can simply log on to the FNB Banking app, go to the nav» tab and follow the prompts.

“The success of FNB’s nav» tool reflects the bank’s commitment to delivering true help to our customers’ lives in an innovative way that can really make a difference. And, as the platform continues to evolve, FNB remains focused on leveraging technology to create solutions that address the evolving challenges that South Africans continue to face – from financial inclusion to sustainability,” concludes Duvenage.