SERAP urged him to ensure that the exercise of CBN statutory powers and functions does not inflict misery on poor Nigerians and contribute to human rights abuses.
The CBN recently announced that ATM withdrawals made at a machine owned by a bank but outside its branch premises will now attract a charge of N100 per N20,000 withdrawn. ATM withdrawals at shopping centres, airports or standalone cash points, will incur a N100 fee plus a surcharge of up to N500 per N20,000 withdrawal. Banks are advised to apply the increased ATM fees with effect from March 1, 2025.
But in the open letter at the weekend and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the manifestly unlawful, unfair, unreasonable, and unjust increase in ATM transaction fees will hit hardest those at the bottom of the economy and exacerbate the growing poverty in the country.
SERAP said the increase in ATM transaction fees ought to have been shouldered by wealthy banks and their shareholders, not the general public lamenting that the increase only benefits the CBN and commercial banks at the expense of poor Nigerians.
According to SERAP, CBN policies should not be skewed against poor Nigerians and heavily in favour of banks that continue to declare trillions of naira in profits mostly at the expense of their customers. The increase in ATM transaction fees would inflict misery on poor Nigerians and contribute to human rights abuses.
The increase in ATM transaction fees the body said is also entirely inconsistent with the oft-expressed commitment by the government of President Bola Tinubu to address the growing poverty across the country.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, we shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and the CBN to comply with our request in the public interest,” SERAP said.
The organisation warned that the exorbitant and unlawful increase in ATM transaction fees at a time the country is facing economic and financial crises would contribute further to the impoverishment of the population.
It decried that imposing exorbitant ATM transaction fees on socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians at a time several Nigerian banks are declaring trillions of naira in profits yearly is manifestly unfair, unreasonable and unjust.
