By Godstime Simon
The issue of Nigerian banks remains unresolved, as customers and bank users continue to voice their frustrations over the poor services provided by various banking institutions.
In recent times, the activities of mobile and commercial banks have surged as individuals increasingly rely on their banks for various transactional purposes, leading to increased productivity in the commercial banking sector.
However, many users lament the inefficiencies in the system, citing poor customer service and unreliable network connectivity.
A graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Avonda Richard, identified the major challenge as inadequate network services.
“Most Nigerian banks have network issues. It takes time to transfer and receive money because they lack fast and efficient transaction systems. I use Zenith Bank, and their network is the worst at times. Although their security is strong,” she said.
Another customer, Bisakem, expressed concern about long queues.
“What I hate most about Nigerian banks is the overcrowded queues. If the services improved, the queues would reduce, or possibly disappear entirely. There’s no point in going to a bank only to be ignored due to poor service,” she said.
She added, “The customer service and how employees interact with customers is appalling. I was shocked when I went to request a bank statement, and was rudely attended to—all because there was no network inside the bank.”
Bisakem called for cooperation between banks and network providers to enhance customer experience.
“Nigerian banks have had the same issues for years with no resolution. Everyone is frustrated because of the economy, but professionalism should still be upheld. Mobile banks like Opay and Palmpay are gaining more users due to better service.”
Zulliat, another user, also criticised delayed transactions due to a poor network.
“I hate the interruptions during transactions caused by an unavailable network. I use GTBank, and the delays and high transaction fees are frustrating.”
Despite this, she appreciates some improvements.
“I like that transactions have been simplified through banking apps. It’s easy to view history, pay bills, and even receive ATM cards without long queues. I hope virtual ATM cards can be introduced for phone-based payments.”
Oreoluwa shared her disappointment with customer discrimination.
“Banks often prioritise ‘Yahoo boys’ or wealthy clients over regular users. I was once in a long queue when someone walked in, bribed a cashier, and was attended to instantly.”
She added, “The customer service at times is rude and unprofessional. In Owerri, Zenith Bank had a total network blackout for a week, and I was stranded.”
Oreoluwa emphasised the need for proper documentation and collaboration with fintech firms like Opay and Kuda to resolve transfer issues.
“There are effective systems that these mobile banks use. It wouldn’t hurt for traditional banks to learn from them.”
Adeweezy Dipo criticised excessive bank charges.
“What I hate most is their capitalist model that prioritises profit over customers. Maintenance fees, SMS alerts, and unclear deductions burden users. GTBank, where I bank, is advanced digitally but still shares these systemic flaws.”
He praised some digital improvements:
“Mobile apps and USSD platforms have improved banking accessibility. GTBank stands out with paperless transactions and fast loan services. But banks need to regulate charges, improve customer service, and upgrade infrastructure to reduce failures.”
Another customer, Osareti, noted that poor service and weak networks are common.
“Access Bank’s network is often bad. Nigerian banks have potential but must improve reliability.”
Omodolapo shared mixed views. “I dislike Wema Bank’s poor connectivity. Though I don’t bank with them, my dad does. With Access and GTBank, services are slow, and unexpected debits are annoying, but recently less frequent.”
She appreciates Access Bank’s swift responses and GTBank’s polite staff.
Access is good at handling complaints quickly. GTBank’s staff at Iju Road are well-mannered, unlike those at Ahmadiyya.”
Nigeria’s banking industry is vital for increasing financial service access. With over 133.5 million active bank accounts and 120 million savings accounts, efforts are underway to expand access via mobile apps, new branches, and increased ATM and POS terminals.
To achieve monetary stability and a robust financial structure, Nigeria must address macroeconomic challenges through regulatory reforms and technological advancements, including improvements in electronic bill payment, airtime purchases, and retail transactions.
