National Association of Independent Online Media Publishers, NAIOMP has commended Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, Access Bank, with the manner at which it responded to customers’ complaint over Stamp Duty charge mandated by the Federal Government.

The bank had in the month of June 2020 acknowledged feedbacks from its customers following the Central Bank’s Stamp Duty Charge as instructed to be deducted by all Nigerian banks.

Access Bank considered customers’ feedback and decided to refund the Stamp Duty on our customers’ behalf for the affected period.

NAIOMP, in a press statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Lateef Owodunni, commended the bank for its prompt response to customers’ plight and running a customer-focused banking system.

The statement partly reads:

Our Association has acknowledge and congratulate Nigeria’s leading bank, Access Bank, for its decision to refund customers of Stamp Duties for the month of April and May, after customers complained about deduction amid economic hardship caused by the deadly COVID-19.

Amidst the tension faced by the banks at the first ease of lockdown, when banks were partially allowed to work, Access Bank stood out in terms of effective customer service delivery and operational structure.

Nigeria’s stuttering economy has created a challenging environment for its banks in recent years, but Access Bank maintained its weight, with its performance on profitability.

Access Bank saw the possibility of a fundamental shift in customer behavior, and predicted a possible decrease in the physical branch visits with an immediate increase in online transactions, peer to peer payments, wallet usages, etc.

Access Bank stepped up her game and converted more of these experiences into positive stories for long-term digital adoption.

We congratulate Access bank and urge other competing banks to emulate the gesture of the bank, and put the plight of customers into consideration before other matters.

However, customers of the bank across the nation commended the bank for attending to their complaints over the Stamp Duty charge. They further promised to continue their lasting relationship with the bank.