Zenith Bank Faces Customer Backlash Over Online Banking Disruptions

Customers of Zenith Bank have voiced their dissatisfaction on social media platforms concerning difficulties encountered with online banking services. The issues reported include problems with making payments and utilizing various banking features. The complaints surfaced on Tuesday following a prior notification from the bank about scheduled maintenance.

Zenith Bank had informed its customers through a statement on Saturday that maintenance of its Information Technology Infrastructure was planned. According to the bank, the maintenance was scheduled to begin from September 29 and conclude on October 1, between 12:01 AM and 5:00 AM.

The statement, titled “Notice of Routine Maintenance,” read, “Please be informed that we are currently undertaking routine maintenance of our Information Technology Infrastructure to enable us to significantly improve the quality of service rendered to you.” It further detailed that, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, several banking services, including the Mobile Banking App, USSD Service, and Internet Banking platforms, would be unavailable from 12:01 AM to 2:30 PM WAT.

Despite this advance notice, many customers expressed frustration, stating the maintenance commenced later than expected. An affected customer, Olaniyi Oludare, expressed disappointment in an interview, mentioning he could not access his funds for essentials and transportation due to the delay.

“It is frustrating. I haven’t eaten all day because I wasn’t able to withdraw money today (Tuesday),” Oludare stated. “Zenith said they would be undergoing maintenance through a pop-up message on the bank app on Saturday, but they didn’t start until this morning.”

Another customer, tweeting as #deji4ever, criticized the bank for not conducting the maintenance during nighttime hours, especially as it coincided with the month end when employees receive their salaries. The tweet read, “The worst bank award should be given to Zenith. Why deny customers transfer privileges on the last day of the month? It’s a bad business strategy.”

In response to the nationwide customer discontent, Zenith Bank issued another statement on Tuesday, reiterating its commitment to enhancing service quality through the maintenance of its IT infrastructure. The bank assured that measures were in place to minimize the impact on customers.

Nevertheless, users on social media continued to express their dissatisfaction, with some suggesting the maintenance should be scheduled during less active hours to avoid business disruptions. Noteworthy reactions included those from Dave Oriss and Kenneth Nnamdi, who both highlighted the inconvenience of service interruptions during urgent personal needs.

This service disruption comes at an unpredictable time, as Nigeria commemorates its 64th Independence Day, adding to the frustrations of customers who are unable to access banking services during the holiday period.