In this article, we shall provide a guide to making a complaint to Palmpay in Nigeria.
Due to the nature of the services that Palmpay provides to customers in Nigeria – dealing with your money, when things go wrong, it can indeed be an extremely frustrating and stressful time when things go wrong.
Palmpay is licensed in Nigeria by the Central Bank of Nigeria as a Mobile Money Operator.
Palmpay has a structure in place for customers to channel any grievances, however most Palmpay customers are not aware of this. That is why we have written this post, to briefly lay out the steps customers should follow when they want to make complaints to Palmpay.
Palmpay transactions generally happen smoothly and with no issues, however there are times when Palmpay fails in its service to you, or there is an issue which you need resolved.
In this article we lay out a step-by-step plan to resolve an issue with Palmpay customer care.
Step 1
Once the problem arises, the first step is to contact the Palmpay through the quickest channels available. In this case, you can either call them on the customer care numbers available, or even contact them on social media. This should always be step one, because most times the information you need resolved can be done quickly and relatively painlessly.
However, whatever communication channel you choose, please make note of the details of the communication e.g., if a phone call, take down details of when you called, who you spoke to (the advisor’s name), what you said, and the response you received. All phone calls are recorded so this can easily be reviewed if there are issues later. Therefore, the fastest ways to initially resolve the issue with Palmpay customer care are:
- Social Media: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/palmpayapp.ng/ ; Twitter: @palmpay_ng; Instagram: @palmpayapp_ng
- Email: support@palmpay.com
- Telephone: 018886888
Step 2
If the issue remains unresolved, then you need to commence the official customer complaint process. Palmpay is regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the CBN set out the process to be followed in its Circular – FPR/DIR/CIR/GEN/01/020 in 2011.
The CBN states that the Palmpay must provide email addresses for complaints. As Palmpay has an online complaint form process, this makes it easier to make complaints.
The detail of the complaint is where you must capture all the relevant information about your complaint. It is the most important part of the process, and therefore you need to ensure you capture the right information. We created a free template to help you with the text that you put it into the detail. Download the template here – Bank Complaint Details Template
Step 3
The CBN guidelines say that the Palmpay must resolve your complaint within 14 days of receipt of the complaint. If for some reason, the Palmpay has not satisfactorily resolved the complaint, you may take the issue to the Consumer Protection Department of the CBN. They will then attempt to resolve the complaint. Please note that you can only take the issue to the CBN after you have made a complaint to the Palmpay and given them 14 days after receipt of the complaint, to resolve it. Apart from resolving the complaint, the CBN also has the powers to impose financial penalties on the Palmpay for failure to resolve your complaint.
When making your complaint to the CBN that Palmpay has failed to resolve the issue within the required period, you will need to include the following information:
- Name, Address, Contact Phone Number & E-mail of the Complainant (this is you);
- Personal details (Do NOT include PIN & Passwords, please;)
- History/Date of the transaction in dispute;
- Amount claimed (if any);
- Attach relevant documents to support you claim and;
- Evidence to show that you have first lodged the complaint at your bank.
When you contact the CBN you are essentially making an appeal, and therefore you are not only explaining the original issue, but also why Palmpay’s response (if any) is unsatisfactory.
Step 4
The CBN does not provide any timelines for dealing with the complaints, but this should be done within a reasonable time. Hopefully, the CBN resolves the complaint between you and Palmpay. However, if the CBN fails to resolve the complaint, you have the right to take the case to court.
In any situation, you always have the right to take any complaint to court, but you have to exhaust all pre-court resolution options first. This final step should only be taken as a last resort, because taking a case to court is an involved process and potentially expensive. You should only take this step if the amount involved is considerable, and the decision to not resolve your complaint by Palmpay and the CBN is manifestly unjust.
Finally, another option is to consider making a complaint to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in Nigeria, our article here explains the process.
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We hope you have found this information helpful. Please note that this information is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. No lawyer-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. This answer is not intended to substitute for the advice of a qualified lawyer. If you require legal advice, please consult with a qualified lawyer.