ATM Charges Removal to be Implemented from December 17
The laudable collaborative effort and decision by the Central Bank and the Bankers Committee to streamline the e-banking services and transactions to the point of ensuring that inter-bank transactions no longer attracts service charges , will be implemented from Monday 17 December.
The Committee believed their decision is based on their embrace of the principle of financial inclusion and creating a favourable atmosphere for Nigerians with ATM phobia, and enabling them to use the machine without fear and anxiety.
Also Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi highlighted further on the ATM policy direction at the retreat of the Bankers Committee, held in Calabar saying “We have agreed on a final date of Monday, 17 December, 2012 for the kick-off when every bank will remove the charges. We allowed some time for banks that have not configured their IT to do so and stop charging and hopefully by 17th of December, you are not going to have any customer pay additional charges”.
From this statement the ATM services will definitely experience increased subscription especially during the Christmas period when Customers across the Nation realize that using the ATM of other banks will not lead to service charges again.
This underscores again the Proactive Sanusi leadership and the power of collaboration which is the key to achieving Policy plans and initiatives in any given sector whether Oil and Gas, Agriculture, Telecommunications and also Banking.
Speaking further on this Governor Sanusi stated “Through collaboration with the government, the banking community and real sector stakeholders, the Bankers’Committee programmes and initiatives have contributed to a tangible improvement in the enabling environment and private sector funding for the power and agriculture sectors”.
Which this decision, the Banking Industry is set to reposition itself in Nigeria as a sector that has great value for Citizens, with people-oriented policies that will encourage Nigerians to be more engaged with the banks.