Some frustrating things about using the ATM in Nigeria

Life in Nigeria is hard  but when you are a Nigerian who resides in the country, you would understand that living in the country could also be frustrating.

While people complain of not having enough money to spend, they also worry about the stress they have to go through whenever they want to withdraw money from the Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

Being able to make a successful transaction in Nigeria using the ATM is so unpredictable and most times frustrating. Below are some things that could happen to you when you try to withdraw money from the ATM in Nigeria:

1. The Queue

This is the first thing that could turn you off when you try using an ATM in Nigeria. The queues are usually long and depressing. It would be difficult getting to do anything on days like that as you could end up getting stuck there.

Usually, these queues are caused by banks as they have imbibed the habit of referring its customers who want to withdraw less than a certain amount to the ATMs in a bid to reduce overcrowding inside the bank.
In other cases, it is just as a result of people doing transactions in non-banking hours with just one out of many ATM machines in the bank working.



2. When you suddenly see 10 people in front of you

While you must have made up your mind to join the queue on days you have no choice, you would be shocked to see people who were not on the queue joining the line. These people claim to have been there before and only went to do something. At this point, your hope of being the next person to withdraw would be dashed again.



3. When the machine goes out of service

After you must have waited for long on the queue, the machine could decide to misbehave just then and go out of service. It is usually more painful when you have one or two people in front of you when this happens. If the service is not restored immediately, that means you have to go to some other bank where the struggle would begin again.



4. When the person in front of you has five ATM cards

This is another form of frustration; imagine being on the queue for hours only to have the person in front of you bringing out five cards.

This means you have to wait for as long as possible before you finally have the chance to use the machine. The annoying part is most of these people are slow and would take eternity trying to figure out how to use the machine.



5. When there is a novice in front of you

Indeed, there are many annoying people in Nigeria. These people could have been on that queue for as long as you have been there yourself without mentioning their inability to use the machine.

When it is their turn to withdraw, they would spend more time trying to figure out how the machine works and would press all the buttons on it before they finally ask for help.



6. When the person before you keeps withdrawing

Now this could make you cry especially if you want to withdraw a small amount of money from the ATM. You would be in constant fear as you do not want the machine to go out of service when it is your turn. People like these are usually annoying as they would keep withdrawing like they want to collect the whole money in the machine.



7. When it is finally your turn and it says temporarily unable to dispense cash

At this point you would feel like breaking the machine itself but would hold yourself back because you would be arrested eventually. After wasting your time on the queue and having seen all sorts of people withdraw, the machine could go blank on you and say temporarily unable to dispense cash.

But Nigerians are patient and would want to hold on for a little time. Luckily this pays off sometimes as the bank officials may be around to load the ATM again.



8. You finally withdraw


Imagine the joy and relief that comes from being able to withdraw money finally. You feel satisfied and do not really care about the time you have spent trying to withdraw since you have been vindicated.



9. When your card refuses to come out

Your joy could turn sour after withdrawing and the machine refuses to give up your card. The struggle starts all over as you are stuck trying to figure out whether it would come out or not.

You also have to worry about impatient people who are eager to use the machine and leave. These people would start to curse and swear; they really do not care whether the machine just swallowed your card.



10. When you get debited twice

As if the devil wants to add salt to your injury, the network could act up and make them debit you twice. Normally, the debited amount should be reversed in few minutes but then you never can be sure as this is Nigeria. Anything can happen. You have to lodge the complaint as soon as possible if you ever want to get your money back.