First Bank of Nigeria has introduced robots in its banking halls.
The staff members of the bank are worried that the robots may take over their jobs.
But the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Nigeria, Adesola Adeduntan, while speaking at the launch of the bank branch’s second fully automated Digital Experience Centre at University of Ibadan on Wednesday said the new technology and digital service experience introduced into the bank is to curb forgery, fraud, and other financial crimes in the industry and would not affect staff services.
"This technology will reduce and curb fraud, forgery, and other vices in the system."
The First Bank boss said that with the introduction of new technology, days of customers waiting for so long in the banking halls are over as customers can now easily transact business at the bank without human interactions.
He stated the services the robots would render which include issuing debit cards, help with inquiries, account opening, and account blocking.
Adedutan said the Digital Xperience Centre is an essential milestone by First Bank to revolutionise the banking sector in Nigeria with its state-of-the-art hub, which puts customers at an advantage, adding that the robots are designed to care for the growing needs of customers and the banking public, allowing customers to wade through the digital landscape confidently.
"We also have a cash recycler which means you don't have to go to any branch for transactions, you can just put your cash into the machine, open your account number, and it will issue you a receipt; in this way, it secures your accuracy in your transactions."
A viral video on social recently showed a customer engaging with a robot representative. In the two minutes video captured at one of the First Bank of Nigeria branches in Abuja a robot was heard saying, “hello, I’m robot. How may I help you?”
First Bank is the first to introduce robots into the Nigerian banking system, with its first launch at its Victoria Island office in Lagos. It’s also expected that other banks will follow suit.
Robotics and other Artificial Intelligences poss serous threat to human labour as robotics companies aim at removing human labour from the economy.
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