Scandals Rock Nigerian Banks Over New Naira as Customers Lament Exploitation, Hardship

Most Nigerians, especially the average ones, appear to be going through very difficult moments of their lives over the non-circulation of the redesigned legal tender.

Their hardship has been worsened by crises of fuel hikes and scarcity, and skyrocketing prices of food items, transportation fares and other items.

The Central Bank of Nigeria had ordered Deposit Money Banks to load new naira notes on their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) for Nigerians to withdraw.

However, checks by Investors King revealed that customers have been complaining of insufficient cash in the ATMs, adding that they are being exploited by operators of Points of Sales (PoS) who have been charging them higher for withdrawing new notes.

Further findings by Investors King showed that some bankers have been involved in shady deals with racketeers through illegal sales of the new currency.

Due to the scarcity of the new notes and failure of most commercial banks to load their ATMs with them, black marketers took advantage of the situation, allegedly purchase new notes from some bankers and sell to customers in dire need of same at exorbitant rates.

These black marketers loiter around some banks in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, among others seeking patronage from Nigerians who couldn’t get money from the ATMs and those who couldn’t withstand the long queues.

Some of the currency sellers, during separate interviews, revealed that they buy the new notes from some bank officials, adding that such act is one of the reasons why most ATMs are lacking the new notes nor dispensing the old currency

One of the currency dealers said they have been selling the redesigned notes and making huge gains. One of them who identified himself as Umar in Abuja said they often sell N10,000 for N13,000 and N20, 000 for N26,000 in all the denominations the buyer needs

Some of the racketeers claimed that they don’t really purchase the new notes from bankers, rather, they give incentives and maintain suck relationship with the officials of financial institutions.

Also, PoS operators have been fingered in the exploitation and shady financial deals as customers decried that they now pay more charges to withdraw.

PoS operators are said to now charge between N500 and N700 for withdrawal of N5000 and higher charges for withdrawal beyond N5000 that would be paid in new notes.

“It’s now difficult for one to get the money he or she suffered for in this country. People are really going through a lot these days because of this new naira notes. Banks no longer load their ATMs with new notes and where they do, the queues are so unbearable. Because of this, some people have been going to the banks to buy these new notes and sell to people.

“I almost went broke yesterday while trying to withdraw. The annoying part is that traders are now rejecting the old notes. I had to pay more charge of N500 to collect N5000 from a PoS man in my area. The man told me that he had to pay his way out in the bank before getting the new notes,” a resident of Nsukka, Gloria Kelechi narrated.

At some ATM points, customers had to fight their way out before withdrawing while others were left stranded because they couldn’t join the chaotic queues.