When Michelle logged into her Access Bank mobile app on Wednesday, she was surprised to find that her transaction history was missing. Meanwhile, Afeez Tunde, another Access Bank customer, was unable to open his banking app.
These challenges arose days after Access Bank completed a major core banking upgrade, which required a planned system downtime over the weekend. Despite assurances of a phased approach aimed at minimizing disruptions, many customers have struggled with accessing digital banking services, raising concerns about the effectiveness of this transition. “My USSD transactions kept failing for two days after the upgrade,” said Chioma Alex, a trader based in Lagos.
Access Bank is not alone in facing digital banking disruptions. Nigeria’s largest banks have been undergoing core banking system upgrades, often resulting in service challenges. In 2024, institutions such as GTCO, Sterling Bank, Zenith Bank, and FCMB implemented similar upgrades, leaving customers frustrated due to prolonged system glitches.
For Sterling Bank and GTBank, the issues lasted for over four weeks, preventing customers from accessing their accounts seamlessly. Learning from these experiences, Access Bank opted for a phased upgrade, expecting to reduce customer impact and avoid widespread service failures. “We understood that a one-size-fits-all upgrade wouldn’t work, given our diverse markets and operational complexities,” said a bank employee familiar with the upgrade, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The last phase of Access Bank’s upgrade—an enhancement of its Oracle Flexcube core banking platform—was completed on February 23, 2025. The process required temporary downtime of digital services from 2 AM to 1 PM, after which services were expected to resume smoothly.
However, several customers reported continued issues with mobile and USSD banking. “I thought it was just a glitch, so I uninstalled and reinstalled the app, but the issue persisted,” Michelle explained. Afeez Tunde also stated, “My banking app hasn’t been working at all. I had to find alternative ways to make payments. If this was a phased upgrade to prevent disruptions, it didn’t work well for me.”
Despite mounting complaints, Access Bank has not issued a public response regarding the ongoing service challenges. A spokesperson declined to comment on the situation.
The upgrade is part of Access Bank’s broader digital transformation strategy. The bank recently allocated ₦68.62 billion ($51.3 million)—20% of its latest capital raise—towards technology infrastructure investments. With over 63 million customers across Africa, the financial institution is prioritizing digital expansion to solidify its position as a leader in modern banking.
However, the real measure of success isn’t just the amount spent on technology—it’s whether these investments translate into a seamless and reliable banking experience for customers.
For Nigerian banks racing to modernize, the lesson is clear: No matter how well-planned, system upgrades aren’t just about technology—they’re about the customers who depend on them daily.
