The law has come into full effect as the deadline for linking bank accounts to the National Digital Identity (NDI) has passed. As a result, customers who have not linked their IDs are now completely blocked from accessing their bank accounts. However, following the expiration of the deadline, we have seen that many customers who have properly fulfilled their obligations and linked their information online are experiencing significant inconvenience and confusion due to the closure of their accounts.
So, after an investigation by Market Media, it was possible to understand that this large-scale account closure problem, which has affected many cautious customers, is caused by two main gaps. One reason is that the high volume of customers entering their information online has overwhelmed the banks' servers, and although the information was reported to have been sent successfully, the system has not properly received and verified it.
The second and main source of the problem is that there are minor spelling differences or phone number mismatches between the information on the bank account record and the beneficiary ID, which has resulted in their online application being rejected without being accepted.
So, according to the information we received from the banks, customers can go to the bank branch where they opened their account with their ID card and fix it. After verifying the customer's identity in person, bank employees will correct the spelling error in the system by making it equal to the ID card. We have been able to verify that the blocked bank account will be opened and returned to normal operation within two hours after the correction work is completed.
On the other hand, a digital alternative solution has been developed for the concerns faced by many citizens living abroad and in exile due to the fact that the verification code (OTP) is not received on their phones. Ethiopians living abroad can also register their information via email to link their bank account with their Fida number, which will allow the verification code to be sent directly to their email even if their phone number is not working for various reasons or the overseas network does not receive messages. Since this service is implemented on each bank’s digital applications, users can link their bank account with Fida from anywhere in the world.
However, a temporary facilitation system has been implemented for citizens living abroad and in countries where the digital ID registration service has not yet been fully implemented. Since the digital ID registration is not yet widely implemented in foreign countries, citizens can temporarily be exempted from this mandatory linkage by providing relevant information to their banks to prove that they are not in the country. In accordance with the strict guidelines issued by the National Bank to each financial institution, these customers have been granted temporary relief from their banking activities for the next six months, but when the service is widely implemented through embassies and consulates in each country, they will be required to complete the registration and link their accounts in their respective locations.
