First of all, @gtbank staff didn’t seem really interested in signing us up. Laconic would be the word that comes to mind when I remember their customer service. We were given forms to fill that were clearly precolonial with data fields that reeked of colonialism and patriarchy.
We don’t live in Nigeria, we were unsure of what address to fill in, we settled on our address in America since we were looking for a diaspora account with the ability to do transactions in dollars. They asked for a utility account statement which we managed to get online.
We were asked for two references; we happened to be in the company of our hosts who vouched for us. I honestly don’t understand why we need references. These are archaic rules based on outdated contexts. I should be able to fill out interactive forms online to get an account.
The real shocker was when they asked for a marriage certificate. We didn’t have it handy and were not about to release it anyway since it seemed invasive just for owning a joint account. When we balked we were handed indemnity forms, presumably in lieu of a marriage certificate.
In the end we were told our application was successfully, we were asked to return the next day to pick up the account number, token and cards. The manager seemed reasonable and assured us everything would be alright. We exchanged contact information and left.
We returned the next day only to be told the account wasn’t ready. After two visits, several acknowledged phone calls/texts, I got a text message from the accounts person at @gtbank saying they would not open our account without the marriage certificate after all. I was furious.
I got a follow-up phone call from the account representative who offered that I should open the account in my name only and when I find the marriage certificate I can then add my wife. That option was’nt given to my wife; it was just assumed that I’m the primary account holder.
My wife and I have a couple of joint accounts in Nigeria. We were never asked for a marriage certificate to open them. This requirement disenfranchises millions who are legitimately married outside the courts. It also seems discriminatory, why do you need a marriage certificate?
How is it that I can have a joint account with my friend or brother but can’t have one with my wife without a court document? We are not asking for a loan, we just want to bank with you. These archaic forms need to go away, this is 2019. I would never recommend @gtbank to anyone.
In any case we are clearly married, our passport information, BVNs, National Identification Numbers are sufficient proof of our marital status. What is the point of having all these documents if the data cannot be assessed and collated in one data stop? Makes no sense.
On this trip, we filled out forms (customs, immigration, passport renewals, bank applications) that showed that the Nigerian government and institutions have not revamped forms to meet 21st century requirements. They mostly all reeked of age and male preference. We can improve.
We must have spent a week of our 3-week stay in traffic, filling out forms in grimy offices and enduring run-arounds from greedy staff. In the end, there’s no guarantee you’ll get what you came for. We did get our National Identification Numbers. Not sure why we need one anymore.
TBH, not sure why I need a Nigerian bank anymore. Technology is changing the way we do business. I was able to use my @BankofAmerica card to do business and I withdrew cash effortlessly from the ATMs. I am able to transfer money to folks through several apps on my iPhone.
Nigeria boasts of some of the best minds in technology, worldwide, e-warriors like @asemota @iaboyeji @EditiEffiong etc, they should be recruited into a blue-ribbon panel to reconfigure the technologies and data entry requirements appropriate for the 21st century. We can do this.
