The Centre for Infrastructural and Technological Advancement for the Blind (CITAB) has accused Nigerian banks of engaging in discriminatory practices against visually impaired individuals.
This was contained in a press release issued today in Lagos by Jolomi Fenemigho, the Executive Director of CITAB.
CITAB urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) to urgently address the challenges faced by visually impaired customers in Nigerian banks.
Fenemigho expressed dismay over the treatment banks allegedly impose on visually impaired customers, calling it unjustified and a significant infringement on their right to access banking services.
According to him, “Banks like Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), United Bank of Africa (UBA), Access Bank, First Bank, and Polaris Bank, among others, have repeatedly denied visually impaired customers access to banking services, thus trampling on their rights.”
The CITAB leader criticized the practice of denying visually impaired individuals access to ATM cards and requiring them to fill out indemnity forms, describing it as an affront to visually impaired individuals across Nigeria.
Fenemigho remarked, “In this situation, I can’t help but question the disparity between how banks treat a visually impaired individual and an illiterate person trying to open an account or obtain an ATM card. Illiterate individuals can open accounts and receive ATM cards, often relying on third parties for transactions, just like some visually impaired individuals, without facing these bureaucratic barriers. Yet, most visually impaired persons are isolated and forced to fill out an indemnity form, whether to open an account or get an ATM card at certain banks. This attitude is not only discriminatory but also demeaning. It denies persons with visual impairments the rights they deserve as individuals with disabilities.”
He urged the CBN to abolish all discriminatory policies across Nigerian banks and to mandate that all banks treat individuals with visual impairments fairly and justly.
“Our efforts to persuade these banks to understand our perspective are often futile,” he added.
“We may discuss with one bank today, only to encounter discrimination at another tomorrow; each bank introduces new discriminatory policies that trap visually impaired individuals in a vicious cycle.”
He advised that, rather than pursuing individual banks that seem indifferent, the CBN should take a decisive stand. By exercising its regulatory authority, the CBN can mandate that all banks eliminate discriminatory policies and ensure visually impaired customers receive fair and just treatment.
Fenemigho also questioned the reluctance of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to address banks’ discriminatory treatment of visually impaired individuals, urging the commission to be more proactive.
He stated, “The NCPWD needs to stop dragging its feet and become proactive in its duties. Letters and petitions from individuals and organizations have been sent to the commission without response. Petitions by the Nigeria Association for the Blind (NAB) have been filed with the NCPWD regarding this issue. Yet, for reasons known only to the commission, they have refused to act. This inaction is unfortunate from a commission supposedly established to support the welfare of disabled persons.”
Fenemigho urged all banks in Nigeria to eliminate policies that hinder equal access to banking and to embrace inclusive banking practices. He further encouraged Nigerian bank management to look to their foreign counterparts, who have adopted complete inclusivity.
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