FirstBank Nigeria has established a 24-hour digital banking centre at the University of Abuja to improve access to financial services for students, lecturers and other members of the university community.
The facility, known as the Digital Xperience Centre, was commissioned on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, providing customers with access to several banking services without the need to visit a conventional banking hall.
The development is expected to address longstanding difficulties faced by members of the university community who previously had to travel outside the campus to access certain commercial banking services.
The new centre will operate throughout the year, including weekends and public holidays, allowing customers to complete routine transactions at convenient times.
FirstBank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun Alebiosu, disclosed the development during the commissioning ceremony at the university.
He explained that the initiative was designed to encourage customers to embrace digital banking while reducing their dependence on traditional branches for everyday financial transactions.
According to him, the centre provides customers with access to virtually all the routine services they would ordinarily visit a banking hall to obtain.
Banking services available around the clock
The Digital Xperience Centre is equipped to support several banking activities, including cash withdrawals, deposits, account maintenance, ATM card replacement and account information services.
Customers can also check their account balances, obtain bank statements, update registered email addresses, change phone numbers and carry out transfers.
The facility is expected to be particularly useful to students who may need banking services outside conventional working hours.
For instance, students leaving the library late at night or arriving on campus early in the morning will have access to selected banking services without waiting for regular branch opening hours.
Alebiosu said the centre would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year.
The initiative reflects the bank’s growing emphasis on technology as a means of improving customer experience and expanding financial inclusion.
Security and customer protection
As digital banking becomes increasingly important, protecting customers’ financial information remains a major concern for financial institutions.
The introduction of automated banking facilities also increases the need for reliable security systems that can prevent unauthorised access to accounts.
Addressing this concern, Alebiosu explained that the new centre incorporates several authentication measures to strengthen account security.
These include facial recognition, fingerprint verification and one-time passwords.
He explained that customers seeking to make sensitive changes to their account information would be required to complete multiple verification procedures.
For example, changing a registered phone number, email address or password would require fingerprint authentication, facial recognition and confirmation through a one-time password sent to the customer’s registered phone number.
The multiple verification layers are designed to reduce the risk of identity theft and unauthorised account modifications.
However, customers must also remain careful when using digital banking services by protecting their personal identification details and avoiding the disclosure of passwords and one-time passwords to other people.
University welcomes the development
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi, welcomed the establishment of the facility.
He explained that the university previously lacked a proper commercial banking facility within its premises, making it necessary for students and staff to seek certain banking services outside the campus.
The new centre is therefore expected to improve convenience and reduce the time spent travelling to access basic financial services.
It could also support students who operate small businesses, receive financial support from family members or need to make regular payments for academic and personal expenses.
For university employees, the availability of banking services within the campus provides another option for managing their daily financial activities.
FirstBank’s digital transformation strategy
The launch is part of the broader transformation taking place within Nigeria’s banking industry as financial institutions invest in technology to improve service delivery.
Banks are increasingly adopting automated platforms, mobile applications, internet banking and self-service facilities to reduce pressure on physical branches.
These developments are also important as customers demand faster and more convenient access to financial services.
For FirstBank, expanding digital banking infrastructure provides an opportunity to reach customers in educational institutions and other communities where conventional banking facilities may be limited.
The University of Abuja facility could also serve as an example for similar partnerships with other institutions across the country.
As competition within the banking industry continues to increase, the ability to provide accessible, secure and reliable services will remain an important factor in attracting and retaining customers.
The success of the new centre will depend on its operational reliability, security, maintenance and ability to meet the banking needs of the university community.
