Nigerian bank customers in difficulty as ATM face recognition feature rejects users wearing facemasks

NIGERIAN bank customers are having problems withdrawing money from cashpoint machines in the new post Covid-19 era because several banks have installed face detection features which do not work when customers use them wearing facemasks.

Over the last month, normality has returned to Nigerian commercial life, with banks opening as usual and people allowed to visit so long as they wear facemasks and adhere to the two metre social distancing rule. However, many Nigerian banks have installed face detection features in their automated teller machines (ATM) which prevent used from withdrawing cash if their face is not recognised.

Of late, this has caused a few problems as these ATM machines do not recognise the face of users who wear facemasks. Banks have thus advised customers to remove their masks when carrying out transactions to ensure that their faces are properly recognised by the ATM machines.

In an email to its customers, Fidelity Bank said: “Wearing of facemasks is a safety and precautionary measure and we must all adhere to in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we advise that you remove your facemask while making withdrawals or carrying out ATM transactions to allow our ATM properly recognise you.

“Fidelity Bank ATM machines have face detection features installed to curb incidences of fraudulent withdrawals. Consequently, you may not be able to carry out any transaction if our ATMs are not able to properly recognise you and we apologise for the inconvenience that this may cause you.”

A Guaranty Trust Bank spokesman said: “When visiting any of our branches, kindly protect yourself by wearing a facemask at all times. It is also very important that you keep a safe distance when in a queue inside or outside the branch.

“Before visiting any of our branches, please remember that you can withdraw up to N150,000 at all our ATMs and that you can do most of your banking from the safety of your home. Our customers can bank through our e-payment platforms."