The United Bank for Africa (UBA) experienced a significant surge in customer complaints regarding unsuccessful transactions in 2024, with figures jumping by 66.3% to 3,210,708 compared to 1,930,518 recorded in 2023. Despite this substantial increase in volume, the financial institution demonstrated a robust resolution capability, successfully resolving 75% of the total complaints received in 2024, amounting to 2,090,122 cases.

According to UBA's 2024 sustainability report, which was made available on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGX), the bank has continually refined its complaints management platform and processes to ensure they are user-friendly and accessible to all customers. While the total number of complaints reached 3.2 million in 2024, the cumulative amount customers initially claimed from these issues was N262.8 billion. Following the resolution of 2.1 million complaints, this claimed amount was reduced to N188 billion in 2024. A year-on-year analysis also shows a 14.6% increase in resolved complaints, rising from 1.8 million in 2023 to 2.1 million in 2024. Furthermore, UBA refunded N2.3 billion to customers in 2024, a notable increase from the N450 million refunded in 2023.

However, the report also highlighted a significant rise in unresolved complaints, which stood at over 1.1 million in 2024, a stark contrast to the 107,000 unresolved cases in 2023. A more detailed breakdown reveals that 1,120,907 complaints were pending with the bank, while a smaller number of 218 unresolved complaints were escalated to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for intervention.

UBA's methodology for complaint resolution involves a systematic process. Complaints received through any of its various channels are routed to a dedicated internal team responsible for resolving issues within specific timelines that are aligned with CBN complaint resolution guidelines. All cases are meticulously tracked and reviewed to identify root causes, allowing for the implementation of fixes that improve processes, platforms, products, and overall customer experience. The bank has also developed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to effectively measure and monitor the efficiency and performance of its complaint handling process, which undergoes periodic reviews to ensure optimal operation.

Customers have multiple avenues to lodge complaints, including any branch, calls, email, live chat, the Leo AI assistant, and social media platforms. Once a complaint is received, it is logged onto the bank’s Complaints Management platform, and the customer receives a notification along with a unique case identification number. Efforts are made to resolve the complaint at the first point of contact; if this is not possible, the case is referred to the relevant department. Upon successful resolution and closure of a complaint, the customer is notified and given the opportunity to confirm satisfactory closure or to dispute the outcome. In instances where further review or investigation is required, customers can escalate their complaints in line with CBN guidelines.

These operational procedures align with the CBN's regulatory framework, which, as per the reviewed Draft Guidelines on ATM operations, mandates instant resolution for failed 'on-us' ATM transactions and a maximum of 48 hours for failed 'not-on-us' ATM transactions.