Customers stranded, blast GTBank over network failure [Photos]

Customers of Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB, especially those using electronic payment and the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) technology platforms were stranded on Wednesday as the bank’s network failed.

According to the enraged customers, the disruption started early Wednesday morning with no prior communication from the bank.

A visit by Ericgossip.com team to various branches of the bank within the Lagos metropolis did not prove otherwise. Customers were seen queuing up in their hundreds to use the ATM machines.
While the ATM machines dispensed cash to other bank users, it did not dispense to GTB users.

Others who were curious enough to visit other banks were also disappointed as they were told their ‘issuer or switch inoperative’.

However, Ericgossip.com observed that the bank officials later manually attended to customers in the banking hall. As expected, this did not come without its challenges as the bank officials found it difficult attending to the thousands of customers impatiently waiting to be attended to.


The security officials of the bank also had hectic time controlling the customers who were obviously becoming violent with the unexpected service disruption.

A distressed customer who identified himself as Akeem at a branch along Airport Road shared his frustration with the Ericgossip.com. Hear him: I’ve been here for the past three hours. The queue is long and it’s not moving. Funny enough people using ATM card of other banks successfully made their transactions without any form of delay. But we account holders of the bank have been left to suffer without prior notifications. Even their much publicized *737# code is not functioning. Its so frustrating.”

 When asked if he had approached the bank officers for assistance, Akeem said: “Those guys are frustrated too. They’ve tried all they could but I think the fault is from their server. One would have prepared ahead if there was a prior notification to this mess. People were asked to come in to withdraw manually but I can’t try it. The banking hall is seriously messed up. People are sweating profusely before they can get their monies.

 And you can be on the queue for hours without getting to your turn. I will just go home and rest. It’s a bad day already, thanks to GTB”, Akeem said with dejection written all over his face.


Another disappointed customer, a nursing mother at the Festac branch of the bank also shared her story: “I woke up this morning with the intention of transferring money to my sister but I couldn’t. I kept on trying thinking it was my network that was poor. When I couldn’t bear it any longer and my sister also kept pestering me with calls, I had to come to the bank to do the transaction via their ATM. I’ve been to over three branches before settling for this particular one. The crowds were unimaginable.

Since I got here around 12noon, nobody has been able to do anything. Other users can, but GTB customers cannot. Isn’t that funny? And it’s so crowded inside. I can’t afford to suffer that suffocation with my child.

The bank must apologise. This is just unacceptable. A whole day wasted because of their ineptitude,” she said.

Other users who spoke on condition of anonymity with Ericgossip.com said before now, the bank sends prior notifications of such server/service failure so that customers can brace ahead or adopt other means for their transactions.

According to reports that other angry customers also took to their various social media platforms to express their displeasure at the bank’s services.