By Seun Ibiyemi
First Bank of Nigeria has confirmed a temporary disruption to several of its digital banking platforms, which has left some customers facing difficulties in completing transactions across key services.
In a notice issued on Thursday, the bank reported that the downtime is currently affecting transfers and other transactions on FirstMobile, FirstOnline, and its \*894# USSD banking service.
“We are currently experiencing service disruptions impacting transactions to other banks via FirstMobile, FirstOnline, and USSD,” the bank stated. “As a result, customers may encounter delays or failed transactions.”
The financial institution acknowledged the inconvenience caused and offered assurances that its technical team, working in close coordination with partner service providers, is actively addressing the issue to restore services as quickly as possible.
“We sincerely apologise for the disruption and thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding. Our team is working diligently with partners to return all services to normal, and we will share updates once full functionality is restored,” the statement added.
The service interruption comes shortly after FirstBank rolled out facial biometric authentication on its flagship mobile app, FirstMobile. The new feature, introduced less than two months ago, was designed to improve user security and simplify onboarding for customers without requiring a debit card.
According to the bank, the facial recognition system incorporates anti-spoofing technology aimed at preventing impersonation and fraudulent access. It caters to a wide user base, including new account holders, diaspora customers, users with expired or lost debit cards, and others who prefer card-free digital banking.
By introducing the biometric feature, FirstBank intended to enhance convenience and reliability for its over 42 million customers, enabling easier access to digital services such as fund transfers, bill payments, and airtime purchases.
Although the current service interruption has temporarily affected those operations, the bank reiterated its dedication to delivering a secure and seamless digital banking experience. It has committed to restoring full access to all affected platforms as soon as possible.