A lively debate on social media has turned into a public referendum on Malawi’s banking sector, with dozens of customers accusing National Bank of Malawi (NBM), Ecobank and Old Mutual of poor customer service while showering NBS Bank and FDH Bank with praise for efficiency, responsiveness and professionalism.
Officials from commercial banks talking to each other
The conversation began after prominent engineer Frank Mwenechanya publicly expressed frustration over what he described as delays by National Bank of Malawi in processing a bid security for his company.
“I have been a corporate customer for National Bank of Malawi for over 10 solid years. Today they fail to give me a bid security. They say it is in US dollars and even after I changed to the equivalent in Malawi kwacha, I am told they are still processing it in their system. Really? The bid is due at 2:00 p.m. today. Meanwhile, NBS Bank gave me the security within a day. I agree with you, NBS is the bank. The others have just grown in size,” Mwenechanya wrote.
Veteran journalist Kondwani Munthali echoed similar sentiments after comparing his experience with several financial institutions while attempting to open a business account.
“Ecobank online… one month later, no update. NBS was the fastest. National Bank and Standard Bank emails were not answered. FDH had one staff member sending forms even on Sunday. I think we’ll stay with NBS and FDH for now,” he posted.
The remarks unleashed a flood of responses from ordinary Malawians, many sharing stories of delays, unanswered enquiries and administrative hurdles that they said had left them disappointed.
One customer, frustrated with Old Mutual, wrote:
“Old Mutual has failed to give me a statement even though I have been their customer for 22 years. We are suffering with services in Malawi. People are just working so that salaries come at the end of the month, but seriousness is lacking.”
Another commenter criticised National Bank’s responsiveness, saying:
“When they read your message, they remain busy in the inbox. NBM needs to improve on their services. NBS and FDH are the best banks so far.”
Ecobank attracted repeated complaints about lengthy account-opening processes. One customer alleged:
“I tried to open an account on 21 March and up to now it has not been opened. I was even told to make a deposit so it could be processed faster. I made the deposit, but nothing happened. Yesterday they still told me to keep waiting. What kind of bank is this?”
Another social media user claimed to have been waiting for six months for an account-related issue to be resolved, simply posting:
“Ecobank… six months and I’m still waiting.”
National Bank also came under criticism over digital banking services, with one disgruntled customer recounting multiple unsuccessful trips to resolve a mobile banking issue.
“I travelled from Ekwendeni to Mzuzu just to switch phone numbers for Mo626. They kept telling me to wait 24 hours. I made about eight visits, spending transport money each time, until I finally gave up. I hate the poor service.”
Others made sweeping criticisms of the institution’s customer experience, with one commenter alleging:
“National Bank seems to care more about corporate clients. The rest of us should just go elsewhere.”
While criticism mounted against some institutions, praise for NBS Bank and FDH Bank was equally emphatic.
One contributor summed up the prevailing mood by declaring:
“FDH is doing well these days. But National Bank and Standard Bank? I am disappointed a million times.”
Another simply wrote:
“Good you found solace in NBS.”
The online discussion, though based on personal experiences and opinions that have not been independently verified, has resonated with many Malawians who say quality customer service is becoming just as important as financial products themselves.
As competition in the banking sector intensifies, the debate highlights how public perception can rapidly shape institutional reputations. For many participants in the discussion, NBS Bank and FDH Bank have become examples of responsiveness and customer care, while National Bank of Malawi, Ecobank and Old Mutual face mounting calls from dissatisfied customers to improve service delivery and communication.
Whether the institutions respond publicly or introduce changes remains to be seen, but the message emerging from the online conversation is clear: many customers expect faster service, timely communication and a stronger commitment to putting clients first.
