Bitter National Bank customers demand refund of their money transferred to Airtel Money but never received

*  After the Bank announced suspension of transfers to and from Airtel Money via platform MO626, MO626 Digital+ and Banknet360

* Contact Centre accused of not responding to customers’ calls to query what the problem is

By Duncan Mlanjira

Some four hours ago, National Bank of Malawi (NBM) announced a temporary suspension of transfers to and from Airtel Money via its platforms of MO626, MO626 Digital+ and Banknet360 without giving an explanation.

The announcement, made on NBM’s Facebook account, added that the bank was working diligently to resolve the issue and committed to restore the service as soon as possible — which they did after four hours.

But the announcement immediately attracted an avalanche of responses from bitter customers, who attested they had gone through some frustrations after transferring funds to their Airtel Money wallets only for the money not to reach them or the intended recipient.

Yet the money was deducted from them. Others, once the funds reached their Airtel Money wallets and was withdrawn, were deducted from subsequent Airtel Money deposits.

Airtel Money sent SMSs to affected customers, telling them, with an apology, that “the bank to wallet transfer was successful but with no deduction on bank”.

Five days into the New Year, NBM also issued an apology on its Facebook page of the intermittent services customers faced throughout the festive period.

Most of these failed transactions to Airtel Money wallets happened during the festive and carried on into the New Year, this time customers not receiving the funds on the Airtel Money wallet.

Majority of the responses to the suspension of transfers on NBM’s platform to Airtel Money were bitter customers, who all attested that after transferring the funds it hasn’t been credited.

To make matters worse to this inconvenience, NBM’s customer care contact centre was not responding to query calls while others felt very bruised that the announcements technical glitch NBM was experiencing came very late after people had been greatly disrupted.

A customer, Favoured Brie experienced something different that she transferred funds from NBM account to another NBM account yesterday, yet it never reach the other account but to hers, it deducted.

Those who had the luxury to be answered by the contact centre, such as Gladys Likweta, cried bitterly over not being refunded of her money whose transfer was made on December 30 despite countless efforts to query.

More disgruntled customers joined the debate, telling NBM that it is supposed to be the best bank in the country but the service delivery leaves a lot to be desired.

“I am still waiting for a transaction of K20,000 that I did from my National Bank account to my Airtel number,” said one customer. “Up to now, I haven’t received my money.

“I have queried to you on many platforms though Inhaven’t come physically to the office but Inhaven’t been assisted, is it the fault of NB or Airtel?”

Airtel Money explained that it was not their fault after this reporter queried why I was deducted of money on Wednesday, whose notification indicated: “Your account has been debited by MWK9000.00. Wed Jan 08 16:16:50 CAT 2025. Reason: BW241225.0906.G19586. Trans ID: DL250108.1616.B01987. Bal: MWK 11800.79. For inquiries call 121.”

Airtel Money explained that the ‘reason: BW241225’ means there was a bank to wallet on 25 December 2024 that failed to deduct or hit Airtel Money and it’s a recovery of the funds.

DL means ‘Deallocation’ — after the banks and Airtel Money had reconciled all transactions. It was explained that it takes a long time because the process is rigorous and validation between the two entities takes some time.

NBM customers always complain of intermittent services every month end when people receive their salaries, which are attributed to technical glitches the bank faces — asking the questions; is the country’s technology advancing? If there are more customers to be served, doesn’t that call for even more advanced technology services?