Eid al-Fitr: Access, UBA, Zenith, GTB, Other Banks to Close Branches for Two Days
- The federal government has announced Thursday and Friday as public holidays to mark the Eid al-Fitr celebration
- Nigerian banks and other financial institutions will have to shut their branches nationwide on Thursday and Friday
- Customers are expected to carry out transactions via ATMs, mobile apps, and internet banking during the holiday
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Branches of commercial banks and other financial institutions across Nigeria, including Access Bank, UBA, Zenith Bank, and GTB, will be closed on Thursday, March 19, and Friday, March 20.
This is in observance of the public holidays declared by the federal government to mark Eid el-Fitr celebration, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan.
Source: Getty Images
The holidays were announced on X by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in a statement issued by the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani.
The statement conveyed the minister’s congratulatory message to Muslim faithful on the successful completion of the fasting period.
Call to uphold values of Ramadan
According to the statement, the minister encouraged Muslims to continue practising key virtues associated with Ramadan, including love, generosity, peace, tolerance and sacrifice.
He also urged Nigerians to use the period of Eid al-Fitr to pray for the country’s peace, unity and sustained development.
The statement reads in part:
“The Minister urges Muslims to sustain the virtues of love, generosity, peace, tolerance, and sacrifice, which were emphasised during the holy month.
“He also called on all Nigerians to use the festive period to pray for the continued peace, unity, and prosperity of the nation.”
Appeal for responsible Eid al-Fitr celebrations
Tunji-Ojo further advised citizens to celebrate responsibly and show kindness to vulnerable members of society during the festivities.
The government reiterated its commitment to promoting national unity and peaceful coexistence across the country.
Read the statement shared on X below:
Source: UGC
Banks advise customers to use e-channels
Bank customers have been advised to use ATMs, mobile apps, internet banking, and USSD platforms to carry out transactions during the two-day holiday.
30 banks meet new capital requirements
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria disclosed the 30 Nigerian banks that met the minimum capital requirements ahead of the March 31 deadline.
The apex bank noted that the remaining banks were undergoing regulatory verification before final confirmation of compliance.
All banks are expected to meet the new capital requirements, which were set in April 2024, before the March 31, 2026, deadline.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
