Zenith Bank customers have taken to social media to voice their frustration over online banking disruptions, citing difficulties with transactions and payment services. The issues arose after the bank notified customers of planned maintenance from September 29 to October 1.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Zenith Bank announced routine maintenance from 12:01 AM to 5:00 AM between September 29 and October 1, with an additional notice that online services, including the Mobile Banking App, USSD, and Internet Banking, would be unavailable on Tuesday, October 1, between 12:01 AM and 2:30 PM WAT.
Despite this advance notice, customers reported that the maintenance did not commence as scheduled, leading to widespread complaints on social media. Many customers expressed their dissatisfaction, particularly because the disruptions affected their ability to make transactions at the end of the month, a crucial time for salary payments.
One customer, Olaniyi Oludare, expressed disappointment, explaining that he was unable to withdraw money for food and transportation, forcing him to borrow from colleagues. “It’s frustrating. I haven’t eaten all day because I wasn’t able to withdraw money today (Tuesday),” he said.
Another customer, Adeleye A. P., tweeting as #deji4ever, criticized the bank for poor planning, stating, “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 backlash, Zenith Bank issued another notification on X confirming that the maintenance was in progress and apologizing for any inconvenience caused. The bank reiterated that the routine maintenance aimed to enhance the quality of its services.
However, users continued to criticize the timing, arguing that the maintenance should have been conducted during the night to minimize disruptions. One user, tweeting as #orissonline, said, “You people should keep frustrating your customers. Some have emergencies, and you are busy shifting the time for maintenance.”
The outcry underscores the need for banks to better communicate and manage service interruptions, especially during critical periods like month-end, when customers rely heavily on banking services.
