I think we need to get some things right here. We as a nation are not likely to get things right until we stop behaving like cannibals. We just lack decorum in our dealings. That is why we are where we are today. A certain man who calls himself Sanusi sold a bank to an Aig who is a debtor (to the tune of 16B) to the same bank he is acquiring. I don't know where this is done in a civilised setting. Now the guy buys the bank and then wants everything to happen so fast. Rather than manage the bank, they are stripping it of its assets. And then you want to do staff rationalisation at the same time integration is going on. Meanwhile he is acquiring a bank that has a completely different model from his own. Then arrogantly, you asked people to take option of leaving the bank within 1 week. If you were in their shoes, will you not take that opportunity? Anyway close to 2000 people left the system as a result of that arrogant ranting of a so-called CEO. The result of people leaving the system is what you are seeing in the banking halls. Nigeria has no labour law at all. An employer keeps people in the office till 12am on a daily basis. What do you expect the next morning in the banking halls? You have tired men and women who internally are angry with themselves. Are disenchanted with the system and all what's not. So please when next you go to an Access bank branch, please bear with the guys at the banking hall. They are overworked and angry staff demotivated by their employers. Please bear with the management. People here are free to comment otherwise because none has had a taste of what goes on at Access bank. The other guy who mentioned that they have never been like this should ask of what their transaction count was before this acquisition and what it will be after the acquisition.

I think ACCESS BANK is one the best banks in this part of the world. I had never had nay reason to doubt their competence in every aspect of banking services including customer care. I think every merger comes with challenges, that was exactly what ACCESS BANK was experiencing... but i think that issue had been resolved as I got an alert almost immediately i made withdrawals from the Bank's branch in Calabar right there at the counter before my money was handed to me by the cashier.

I suspect Intercontinental bank came in with a lot of baggages. I have not noticed over crowding in any access bank in any part of Nigeria. I was so suprised when i went there yesterday, a lot of customers to be attended to by few access bank staff. I left in annoyance, i went back this morning, even to come out of the back, i had to queue. Its so unfortunate. I hope this acquisition will not kill access bank?

This simply a case of "He whom the gods wants to kill he makes deaf first". What a man sows he will wear. i dont understand how a bank should expect me to wait for over one whole week to do meaning transaction and hinges it on system integration. when you go into the banks bulk room its smells like a toilet due to too much crowd, getting a managers cheque is a big problem even if one goes to the real Access branch; one cant do any transaction and the foolish Access banks management (AIG) is not doing anything about it. A poster is talking about bearing with them and for how long until access crumbles just as it happened to intercontinental. they will not succeed i dont understand how come two cashiers will be attending to 50 customers at a time.

They should sort themselves out fast else................leaves the thready angrilly

Till now I cant still access my account with Access Bank or should I say Intercontinental Bank.It will be two weeks by the end of this week.Some corporate bullshit going on!

Truth of the matter is Access Bank never had the wherewithal to absorb a bigger bank like Intercontinental. If as you Access Bank sympathizers say its due to initial integration problems, how come the Ecobank/Oceanic merger is going smoothly or are they not Nigerian banks? Lets face facts, there's more to that merger that meets the eye. There is no argument (Logical, economic or otherwise) that supports such. As for me, I have closed all my accounts in that bank completely, don't be surprised if in a few years' time, it goes the way of Societe Generale or Savannah.

@merengue, Ecobank/Oceanic merger is not going smoothly as u claimed. They have their fair share of the initially integration issues. Please let us approach issues without sentiment. I still maintain we remain calm and allow Access bank to resolve their issues. As for me I have been withdrawing and depositing cash since last week Thursday.

The bank leadership will not sit back and watch service deteriorate. I believe they will completely resolve this issues.

merengue: Truth of the matter is Access Bank never had the wherewithal to absorb a bigger bank like Intercontinental. If as you Access Bank sympathizers say its due to initial integration problems, how come the Ecobank/Oceanic merger is going smoothly or are they not Nigerian banks? Lets face facts, there's more to that merger that meets the eye. There is no argument (Logical, economic or otherwise) that supports such. As for me, I have closed all my accounts in that bank completely, don't be surprised if in a few years' time, it goes the way of Societe Generale or Savannah.

I don't have to be a sympathizer to disagree with your logical questioning of the merger. what makes access a lesser bank to acquire intercontinental or ecobank to take over oceanic bank? is it the deception of financial stability as judged by structure or the false image of financial stability both affected institutions painted to the public. one thing i know is that most banks run different banking apps for their transaction and a migration of platform will sure bring along with issues.Show me a merger without issues?

i bank with ecobank and if i assume transaction to be as smooth as it used to be with the m&a then im being a selfish, deceitful liar.

@koolkodes. Nobody is contesting that. You are looking at things from the perspective of what you feel is the ideal situation. I would rather look at it from a wholistic point of view based on the information available. In a M&A you don't throw away the human resource you meet on ground while integration is still ongoing. It is a wrong strategy. Aig did that arrogantly and d result s what you are seeing. Customers are being made to go through this avoidable hassles because of the arrogance of a man. Another topic for another day is the mode of acquisition. I know on some months to come the chicken shall come home o roost.

Open an account with them Oloun maaje

I am quite content with GTBank and Zenith bank

If you are okay with Access Bank, Go run your own bank..............

I never wanted to comment on this post because it was emotional and from all indication coming from an ex-staff who is dissatisfied with the present condition of things. While some comments here are true. Some are just way out of context. First and foremost, lets break this down. Intercontinental bank was mainly a retail bank with high branch network and huge customer base. The integration is a huge success coming from a strategic point of view, never in Africa history has such ever occurred. Access Bank seems to break records each time. The poor service experienced now is a snagged which will phase out very soon as all hands are on deck. Now if you have ever own a business or ever being a top executive you would definitely know that your main purpose is to keep your stakeholders smiling. Decision such as using a higher or lower version of software will still revolve on your core objectives, who are we and what do we intend to achieve. I was privilege to see the strategic objectives of Access Bank in 2008 and I thought it was never possible to achieve them. However and surprisingly in 2012 they have not only achieved but surpassed them. I envy the strategic point of view of the Bank (very challenging yet achievable), it makes you actually confirm the popular adage "if you can think it, you can achieve it". Negative comments on this post reveals poor knowledge about the bank . The bank is clear about what it intends to do, the resources and technology it intends to use in order to achieve its objectives and that also includes excellent customer service.

@omosexy1:

I never wanted to comment on this post because it was emotional and from all indication coming from an ex-staff who is dissatisfied with the present condition of things. While some comments here are true. Some are just way out of context. First and foremost, lets break this down. Intercontinental bank was mainly a retail bank with high branch network and huge customer base. The integration is a huge success coming from a strategic point of view, never in Africa history has such ever occurred. Access Bank seems to break records each time. The poor service experienced now is a snagged which will phase out very soon as all hands are on deck. Now if you have ever own a business or ever being a top executive you would definitely know that your main purpose is to keep your stakeholders smiling. Decision such as using a higher or lower version of software will still revolve on your core objectives, who are we and what do we intend to achieve. I was privilege to see the strategic objectives of Access Bank in 2008 and I thought it was never possible to achieve them. However and surprisingly in 2012 they have not only achieved but surpassed them. I envy the strategic point of view of the Bank (very challenging yet achievable), it makes you actually confirm the popular adage "if you can think it, you can achieve it". Negative comments on this post reveals poor knowledge about the bank . The bank is clear about what it intends to do, the resources and technology it intends to use in order to achieve its objectives and that also includes excellent customer service.

Please check the bolded. If the present situation in Access bank is a success then those who coined the word failure should have a rethink. Are you aware that since morning nobody can use the ATM? This was not an integration issue right. Since Feb 3 when Aig forced staff leave the system, all e-channels have not been working effectively. Well being emotional is mostly a woman thing (apologies to the women ) so you are in order. However, I guess you need to get your facts right and then do a re-assessment of what you call "huge success". When we write on forums like this, we should be mindful of the fact that the whole world reads it. So in trying to educate people we should desist from misinforming people.

@Yarina I do not know how you judge success but I am glad you highlighted the statement "The integration is a huge success coming from a strategic point of view" For clarity, I said the integration is a huge success from a strategic point of view because people expected worst, people expected a total chaos, a full breakdown of service given the time period and the speed of the integration process. However, you can not use certain operational inefficiencies as a performance measurement tool for integration failure or success. Whether or not the integration exercise took place, we are all aware on the operational inefficiencies affecting our financial institutions (this includes ATM down-time, long queues, poor fund transfer via the internet, erroneous account statements e.t.c), these inefficiencies or I would prefer to call them bottlenecks affects all financial institutions especially in Africa. Now drawing inference from my quote, the integration is successful from a strategic point of view because if you are observant you would notice the cultural change in the system, a cut in excess branches by shutting down loss-making branches, buy-in by shareholders of both banks, management control and presence nation-wide, adherence to standard operating procedures and policies e.t.c. While I would commend the former ICB for having a strong e-channel business unit, it is entirely false that the entire I.T staff were asked to leave. Please note and if you are knowledgeable with Mergers & Acquisitions, you should know that some form of resistance would be experienced from staff members of the "acquired organization" . Hence, a sort of window or opportunity would be provided to get the committed ones. This is to prevent "Organization Cultural Shock" often experienced with Mergers & Acquisitions. To conclude this, do not use normal operational inefficiencies to judge the integration as we experience these bottlenecks from all financial institutions in Africa. Organizations evolved and address issues and challenges it currently faces and I believe Access Bank is fully aware of its current challenges and is certainly addressing them squarely to avoid reoccurrence. Rather than post negative comments, lets observe and wish them well.

@Omosexy1[b]
. To conclude this, do not use normal operational inefficiencies to judge the integration as we experience these bottlenecks from all financial institutions in Africa. Organizations evolved and address issues and challenges it currently faces and I believe Access Bank is fully aware of its current challenges and is certainly addressing them squarely to avoid reoccurrence.[/b]

Refer to the above. We know the antics of people like you. You are never bold enough to say where you belong in all of this but reading you, I now know where exactly you are. So you call the harrowing experience customers are experiencing NORMAL? What School did you graduate from? Your school should be ashamed of you. Well that is a matter for another day. I am glad you know a little about M&As but I doubt if you know about Organisational Process Assets as against Organisation Cultural shock (you mentioned). You mentioned it here because that was what your organisation dwelt more on. You left the perception of the publics out of the whole thing. You forgot that in any customer's mind, they see Intercontinental bank rather than Access bank. Intercontinental bank operates a purely retail model while you guys do Corporate. The biz models would have been harmonised strategically to suit the current realities but just as the saying goes " a man cannot give what he does not own". Your team lack the depth of experience (or I should say no experience at all) to manage the kind of biz model inherited. You would recall some made a comment on this thread to say Access bank's response time has been wonderful before now. Do you know why? Because in a branch of Access of old, transaction count cannot be more than 400 (at the most in a day) as compared to that of Intercontinental that does more than 3M transactions in a day. As a consultant to the bank then, these are things we see on a daily basis. So you guys lost the organisational process assets and the result is what is going on now. We have dealt with the 2 of you and know the depth in the 2 institutions. Access is like Lagos City Polytechnic compared to Great Ife (Intercontinental).

So let me educate you more on what you lost sight of. In M&A laying off staff is inevitable anyday. The day a new manegement takes over, people are aware that there will be job loss but you see coming from a disadvantaged angle like Access in terms of experience it requires wisdom for business continuity. People who worked with Akingbola are not saying he was a saint or that they all agreed with him. Even for some of us who were Consultants then, we frown at some of peolicies but he was a better people management person. Even though he was cheating you to favour his organisation one feels obliged to want to deal with him because he had a listening personality. He was not treating people like filth. So I want you to agree that you guys goofed in all of this. A sensible management will not throw a window open asking people to leave the system the way you guys did. In a modern era of banking, you lost experienced operations people, you lost loan recovery guys, you lost financial control guys, you lost so much channels people, you lost IT people, good marketing hands, you lost Internal Control guys and even Inspection guys and you come here to tell the whole world that what you are experiencing now is "these inefficiencies or I would prefer to call them bottlenecks "


You had better go back to your masters to inform them that they have failed and it is not too late for them to ask for help from CBN (since they arranged the acquisition for you). This is not a Capital bank that you bought. This is Intercontinental that has spread beyond the shores of this country and making waves everywhere it goes. How far this can go, time will tell. Just as you have advised, I wish you well as an individual

@Yanina
Whomever U are. . . .U really represent the IBPLC spirit.

@Yarina
Initially, I wanted to understand your grievance over this issue. First, I laughed when you addressed my institute of learning - (that class of Nairalanders). Well I see your point as a consultant of the defunct ICB (lost of business) and fully understand your venting. I would love to go into details about the strategic impetus of Access Bank but it will amount to nothing. Rather, I believe I should school you a little on Organization Management and Control. When an Organization is clear on what it intends to do and how it intends to go about it, it put in places measures and resources to achieve its goals. Access Bank has always been clear on its strategy and has enjoyed measurable success in its own level of field in the industry. However, just like other successful organization in the world, continuous growth is always an aspiration to ensure that all stakeholders are constantly happy. Now to address to you point, you keep referring to laying off of people or losing people, it is better to have 10 committed unlearned staff members who shares in your vision than to have 100 experienced disgruntled staff members, you definitely should know the outcome. I can clearly tell you from a good standpoint that Access Bank is a bank that rewards staff regardless of cadre. Are you aware that staff members from the defunct ICB were promoted? Because they met Key Performance Indicators given to them. Are you also aware, since you claim to be a consultant, that in the defunct ICB career growth wasn't clear and that having polices and procedures were new to them? I would not use this forum to expose organization and management issues (either by error or purported conscious actions) that resulted to the death of ICB. I would love to conclude with this, an organization that wants to continuously remain in business, will have to keep observing changing trends in its environment and seize existing opportunities to achieve its core objectives. Do not wish the bank bad because you were affected by the Acquisition, rather go back to the drawing board as a consultant and develop cutting edge products that would be admired and procured by the bank or any other financial institution and if you want to know about the bank, you can start by reading (not literally reading, a deep reflecting study) its Vision and Mission Statement and its 12 core strategic objectives.

PS: Please note that I would not reply to any of your future comment and would strongly suggest you read the above to understand the bank a little better and help you in any future endeavors or interactions you may have with the bank.

Access Bank has always been clear on its strategy and has enjoyed measurable success in its own level of field in the industry. However, just like other successful organization in the world, continuous growth is always an aspiration to ensure that all stakeholders are constantly happy. Now to address to you point, you keep referring to laying off of people or losing people, it is better to have 10 committed unlearned staff members who shares in your vision than to have 100 experienced disgruntled staff members, you definitely should know the outcome. I can clearly tell you from a good standpoint that Access Bank is a bank that rewards staff regardless of cadre. Are you aware that staff members from the defunct ICB were promoted? Because they met Key Performance Indicators given to them.

Well it is typical of losers like you. I would have loved not to dignify your half-truths with a reply but I feel I owe the reading public some education.
In red - I would advise you stop murdering English. If you are of the corporate affairs department of your bank, I guess you need another designation. You seem not to understand the logic of your defenses. Does this bring out any sound logic? What was the position of Access bank in terms of deposit liabilities, profit or ROI, customer service/performance in terms of operation in the industry as a today? Success in terms of what? I seem not to see anything here? Do you know the meaning of that word you are using?
In Blue - What growth are you talking about here? and who are those stakeholders that are happy? Has an organisation ever existed in a cocoon? What about the investing publics. I think you guys have to go into the market and do a sampling to know where you belong
In Brown - I don't know where you got the committed staff anyway maybe from the stars. We spoke with alot of your guys and 90% of them are waiting for Aig to commit the type of blunder he did in asking people to take the option of leaving and see if 80% will not leave the system. So as part of your shortsighted policies where you want the most brilliant people (wherein you take only 2:1 and 1st class graduates) rather than intelligent people, you still prefer them to be unlearned. I shake my head in pity for your kind of organisation. In the industry your organisation boasts of having the highest rate of turnover if you do not know

Well if you say I wish you bad luck, you might be right to an extent. Any right thinking person would not wish you well because you guys stole someone's wealth. But I will not go the way of your line of thought. I will choose to be like Jesus Christ who despite being nailed on the cross of calvary still prayed for the transgressors by saying "Father forgive them for they know what they do" . If it is God's judgement that bad luck shall be yours, who am I to query God.

Going through this post, 1 sees a lot of Access Bank groupies
Only that keep your adulation to yourself& force it not upon us
Integration was to end last Monday yet as of today, 2 ATMs spat out my card telling me the switch is inoperative
So no cash in my pocket nor bills getting paid save I use another bank account
I walk into Access's customer care unit and I'm told that means no network
I check my balance and the figures I'm given is different from my mental balance by 50k
And you expect me to applaud AIG the MD
Sorry,I ain't his groupie nor among his fan club

Aig has bitten more than he can chew. That is why all these issues are coming up. Only time will tell

I cant still access my account with Access Bank Plc....There customer services dept. seem kool but just that I dont know how long I can endure it but I am thinking to rush back and just closed my account with them and move to FirstBank finally.I need peace..

:ohmm! someone could be starving right now,far away from Naija because of the marriage between two banks.
I feel for those abroad who want to pay medical bills, someone could give up.
I feel for those that went on holidays abroad and depending on their mastercards, if na honeymoon, it might lead to a break up.
I feel for those who depended on their cards to pay tuition fees overseas, they might be sent to debt management or back home.
I feel for the business man who depended on the card for transaction, he might go bankrupt.
I feel for the person wey customers don pay to his account for a servic, he might go to jail.
Their stories are getting to enormous, we need action and not promises, Banking has advanced beyound these shit.AIG Do not lose your grip(your customers are your constituency)

OMOSEXY--U can only be sure of yourself. People must not always pay with their lives/comfort for what they never bargained for! wake up girl>>>>>>>>>>>>>>