Nigerian Bank Reveals Date and Time for Debit and Credit Card Downtime, Recommends Alternative Solutions

UBA Schedules Maintenance for Debit and Credit Cards: What You Need to Know

United Bank for Africa (UBA) has announced a planned maintenance exercise that will affect its debit and credit card services. Customers are encouraged to prepare for this temporary downtime and explore alternative banking channels during the maintenance period.

Maintenance Schedule and Details

UBA has informed its customers that the maintenance will take place on Sunday, January 19, 2025, between 12:00 am and 5:00 am (WAT).

In a message to its users, the bank explained:

“To enhance your banking experience and enable us to serve you better, we will be conducting routine maintenance on our card services during this time.”

Impact on Card Services

During the maintenance window:

• Debit and credit card transactions may not work.
• Customers are advised to use alternative banking channels, such as:
  • LEO Chatbot
  • *USSD (919#)
  • UBA Mobile App
  • Internet Banking

UBA assured customers that updates will be shared once the maintenance is completed.

Changes to Savings Account Status

In addition to the maintenance notice, UBA recently informed its customers about updates regarding savings account classifications.

Following a directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN):

• Accounts with no transactions for six months will be marked as inactive.
• Accounts with no activity for 12 months will be classified as dormant.

To avoid these classifications, customers are encouraged to keep their accounts active by performing transactions through:

• The UBA Mobile App
• Internet Banking
• The LEO Chatbot
• *USSD (919#)
• Visiting any UBA branch

Meanwhile, The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, highlighted concerns about the risks associated with inactive accounts. He explained that these accounts are more vulnerable to fraudulent activities, including identity theft and unauthorized access.

“Inactive accounts are often targeted by scammers who try to gain control of them for fraudulent purposes. This is an issue many banks face,” Cardoso stated.

To ensure security and prevent fraud, maintaining activity in your bank account is essential.

Summary

1. Scheduled Maintenance: UBA’s debit and credit card services will be unavailable on January 19, 2025, from 12:00 am to 5:00 am (WAT).
2. Alternative Channels: Use the UBA Mobile App, USSD, LEO Chatbot, or Internet Banking during the downtime.
3. Savings Account Status: Keep your account active by performing regular transactions to avoid it being marked inactive or dormant.
4. Security Reminder: Protect your account from potential fraud by staying informed and using secure banking practices.