Bank customers’ agony over the prevailing cash scarcity increased, yesterday, as more banks resorted to rationing cash withdrawals while Point of Sale Operators, PoS, operators, hiked transaction fees by 100 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN in a move aimed at ameliorating the situation, suspended charges for cash withdrawals above the regulatory limits of N500,000 for individuals and N3 million for corporate account holders. The CBN said that the suspension of the charges would last till April 30th next year.
Suspension of charges for large cash withdrawals
Announcing the suspension in a circular to banks entitled, ‘Re-Processing Fees on Cash Deposit’, the acting Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Dr. Adetona Adedeji, said: “Please recall the processing charges imposed on cash deposits above N500,000 for individuals and N3,000,000 for corporates as contained in the “Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial Institutions and NonBank Financial institutions’ issued on December 20, 2019, under reference FPR/DIR/GEN/CIR/07/042.
“The CBN hereby suspends the charging of processing fees of two percent and three percent previously charged on all cash deposits above these thresholds with immediate effect. This suspension shall remain in effect until April 30, 2024.
“Consequently, all financial institutions regulated by the CBN should accept all cash deposits from the public without any charges going forward.”
Banks ration cash withdrawal
Vanguard’s visits to bank branches in Lagos and Abuja showed more customers experienced difficulty accessing cash as the ATMs in most of the bank branches did not dispense cash while the banks imposed limits on cash withdrawal in a bid to ration the available cash.
Vanguard’s findings indicated that there has been a short supply of cash to the banks from the apex bank, prompting the banks to reduce the amount disbursed both via the Automated Teller machines, ATMs, and Over-the-Counter.
Like the beginning of the year, when Nigerians faced biting cash scarcity, banks now prioritise customers holding accounts with them, while rationing available cash to make it get to as many customers as possible.
While some still maintain the N100,000 daily withdrawal limit in tranches of N20,000 through ATMs, others have since reduced the amount dispensed through the ATMs.
Also, POS agents who spoke to Vanguard confirmed the unavailability of cash at the banks, saying that they hardly get the amount they requested from the banks in the last one month.
When our correspondent visited a new generation bank located on Old Ojo Road, off Badagry Expressway, Lagos, she was told that she could withdraw a maximum of N50,000 in the banking hall.
At the same branch of the new generation bank, our correspondent discovered that only two out of the four ATMs were in use. While customers of the bank are allowed to withdraw up to N40,000 from the ATM in batches of N10,000, non-customers could make withdrawals for up to N20,000 but in batches of N5,000.
A staff of the bank, who works in the marketing unit, told Vanguard that the challenge was not limited to the bank alone, saying “We started experiencing this shortage at the beginning of this month (December). Besides the fact that customers no longer make deposits as much as they used to, we also have a short supply from the CBN.”
At 4p.m., yesterday, a customer of an old generation bank, who made a withdrawal from the bank’s ATM told our correspondent that the withdrawal limit for non-customers had further been reduced to N3,000 and further down to N1,000 as at the time she left the ATM gallery.
At another second-generation bank, located at Old Ojo Road, all the ATMs were out of use.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that customers, who visited the bank earlier in the day were availed of N50,000 maximum withdrawal in the banking hall.
Echoing the same sentiment as the staff of a new generation bank, a security personnel at another new generation bank, who confirmed to Vanguard that the ATMs have not been loaded in the last one week due to the cash scarcity.
A staff of a new generation bank around Abule-Ado axis on Badagry Expressway told Vanguard that the bank still allows N100,000 daily withdrawal limit even through the ATM for their customers. Withdrawal limit at the banking halls, according to him, depends on cash availability and the time of the day the customer visits the bank. For non-customers of the bank, the withdrawal limit was set at batches of N5,000 while the N35.00 withdrawal charges still apply for each withdrawal.
Explaining, he noted that the scarcity was a yuletide occurrence in the banking system, but said that the intensity of the scarcity worsened this year and it’s akin to what happened earlier in the year.
The story was, however, different at one of the generation banks situated around the same axis as customers could withdraw as much as N200,000 over-the-counter.
Vanguard checks also showed that only one ATM out of the ATMs in the bank were operational as at the time our correspondent visited.
Vanguard visit to another branch of a new generation bank at Igando, Lagos State, showed that the ATM was surrounded by bank customers, who could only withdraw N20,000 as customers and N10,000 per withdrawal for non-customers.
Mrs. Omotosho Vivian, a customer, said: “God help us. These people have started again. We were going through hell during this period last year. We have been here for hours.
“They just loaded the ATM now and it is only one out of four ATMs that is serving this huge crowd you are seeing.
“I am very tired. I have been to other banks but none of their ATMs are dispensing cash.”
A branch of an old-generation bank at Igando bus stop had a crowd sitting and waiting at the ATMs to be loaded with cash.
Another bank customer, Mrs. Hannah Martins said she has been waiting for over 30 minutes and the ATMs have not been loaded with cash.
“I have been patronising this bank since Saturday with no luck in withdrawing cash. Today, I have waited for 30 minutes yet they have not loaded the ATMs with cash.
“I am very exhausted and will be leaving any minute to pick my kids from school. I really don’t know what is going on.
“The security men are saying there is no cash. This was the same scenario we experienced last year. We are just here unable to have access to our money. What is the benefit of banking when we collect our money through suffering?”
A visit to a new-generation bank in Igando revealed that none of the ATMs was loaded with cash. Customers could only make withdrawals over the counter.
At another old-generation bank located in Kirikiri, Apapa, customers, who wanted to withdraw large amounts of cash, were seen complaining, as they lamented that they were only allowed to withdraw N10,000, which could serve their needs for a day.
Also at the branch of a ngew generation bank located inside the Alaba International market, Ojo, Lagos, customers were only allowed to withdraw N10,000.
Vanguard visit to some new generation banks in the Akowonjo area of Lagos State, showed that the ATM was paying N20,000 to customers and N10, 000 to non-customers.
However, the bank was paying N10, 000 over the counter, OTC to customers withdrawing via withdrawal slip or PoS machine inside the bank.
SOURCE: VANGUARD
