Customers from various parts of Nigeria have poured praises on Jaiz Bank Plc. as it clocks 10 years of operation on January 6, 2022, defying naysayers to become a household name and success story in the banking industry.
Jaiz Bank which currently boasts of about 39 branches across Nigeria including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja is the pioneer full-fledged Islamic bank in the country.
The model Islamic bank has since spread its presence across the country, gaining national and international recognitions. Jaiz won the Most Improved Islamic Bank Award for 2020 and 2021 consecutively from the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA).
Despite paying the huge costs associated with pioneering, Jaiz was able to break even within the first three years of operations, which was unprecedented at the time. From a modest balance sheet size of N12 billion in 2012, the bank closed the 2020 financial year at N278 billion (total assets and contingents) and grew all other key performance indices exponentially over the years.
As it celebrates a decade of its existence, customers share their banking experience with Jaiz on a Vox Pop conducted by Muslim News.
The feedback shows that though it has been an admixture of experience, customers seem to agree that Jaiz Bank has been doing fantastically well without ruling out the room of improvement.
Some of them said they will stick with Jaiz Bank despite its challenges until it gets better because it is ‘their own’.
From Gombe State, Haruna Yahaya who says he has one savings account with Jaiz also acknowledged the customer service of the bank.
He, however highlighted his challenging point as lying in the mobile banking and USSD transfer.
“I have one savings account with Jaiz Bank. They are really trying in the way and manner they render their services. The only challenge I experience with them is in terms of USSD transfer and mobile banking. Whenever I make a transfer with both platforms, it takes time before it reflects on the other account. The only way they can improve their service is through the improvement of their service between them and other banks.”
Sharing his experience, Kolawole Adegbuyi who has been a customer of Jaiz since 2018 said he opened his account through the website seamlessly and upgraded it at the Ikeja, Lagos branch without issues.
“I have been operating the account since 2018 and I’m satisfied with the service. Mobile app, USSD and customer relations are satisfactory. I so much like the USSD because it makes it convenient for me to buy airtime and transfer. I have been using the mobile app to pay for my Cable TV,” he noted.
He, however expressed reservation in the fact that the distance of the nearest branch to his area (Alimosho, Lagos) has been hindering his plan to open his corporate account with Jaiz.
Seidah Lateefah who lives in Ojo, Lagos shared similar reservation with Adegbuyi. She said she wishes to open an account with Jaiz, but they have few branches around.
“I don’t have an account with them and I wish to, but they have few branches around. I live around Ojo Barrack in Lagos. Please, anyone who knows their branch closer to me should signify.”
Ahmed Abulgafar from Niger State said what he loves about Jaiz as a customer is the fact that he could invest his money and get halal returns quarterly.
“There is a great room for improvement and I will stick with the bank until it becomes better. Jaiz is our bank. I have an account with them. Their services have been great, only that there are few branches around. I doubt if there is any Jaiz branch in the entire Niger State. Not even in Suleja that is close to Abuja. It is my best bank so far,” Abdulgafar says.
Hammed Usman meanwhile acknowledged the improvement that has been made to the mobile banking app, noting, “It now works everyday for me unlike those days when you can hardly do transactions on weekend and public holidays. The challenge I am facing with the bank is the account manager. She is so rude, she will not answer call or respond to emails.”
“I love Jaiz mobile app and it’s my favourite, I have not been experiencing any difficulties while using it, I’m enjoying their service,” Mustapha Abdulazeez Ademola wrote.
For his part, Ahmed Lawal said Jaiz Bank needs to upgrade their services and more importantly work on giving of loans to customers.
“Imagine as a customer, I haven’t benefitted from any of their loans ever since I have been banking with them. It’s really worrisome!”
Other comments
‘Being patient with them is an act of Ibadah’
Yes, I have several accounts with them and there is room for improvement with their banking app, account management communications, customer service and their overall system, however, I’m sticking to them because I believe in Islamic banking as an act of ibadah and being patient with them is all a part of it. Yes, there are other banks with better services, especially through their mobile application, but I’m sticking to Jaiz as my primary bank. – Laurat Ogunjobi, Lagos, Nigeria
‘Jaiz mobile banking needs improvement’
Jaiz bank needs improvement on her mobile banking. I do encounter challenges at times when money is been transferred into my Jaiz bank account, it takes time before it reflects. – Abdul Kabeer Musa, Saki, Oyo state.
‘I love Jaiz mobile App’
I love the Jaiz mobile app and it’s my favourite. I have not been experiencing any difficulties using it. I’m enjoying their service. – Mustapha Abdulazeez Ademola