Remitly releases N300,000 held by customer for weeks

Remitlypayments platform, finally processed the N300,000 that a US-based Nigerian sent to his younger brother’s Access Bank account.

FIJ had previously reported that the Access Bank account of the younger brother, a lawyer from Lagos, was not credited for weeks after the money was sent.

Both brothers told FIJ that despite repeated contacts with Remitly and Access Bank and providing all requested information, such as account statements, neither financial institution was able to account for the money.

READ ALSO: Between Remitly and Access Bank, Lagos lawyer’s N300,700 case hangs for weeks

However, the older brother revealed in a post on X on Monday that Remitly contacted him on June 30, a day after FIJ published information about the delayed transaction.

He noted that both financial institutions ignored him until his social media post on the subject gained traction and journalists such as Fisayo Soyombo, founder and editor-in-chief of FIJ, contacted him.

He also mentioned that Remitly admitted that there was a problem with the transfer and the money was later transferred to another account number provided by his brother.

Update. Yesterday, over THREE weeks after @remitly AND @myaccessbank I insisted that the money (N300,000) was successfully transferred to my brother’s account, I received this note from Remitly confirming that there was indeed a problem with the transfer. I was told to… photo: twitter.com/XgjB0pcmjz

— Ikhide R. Ikheloa (@ikhide) July 1, 2024

“Yesterday (June 30), more than three weeks after @remitly and @myaccessbank insisted that the money (N300,000) had been successfully transferred to my brother’s account. I received this note from Remitly confirming that there was indeed a problem with the transfer” he wrote on Twitter on Monday.

“I was told to log into the app and edit the transfer details so the money could be withdrawn. Today (Monday) I was able to edit the transfer details and redirect the funds to another bank account on @gtbank. The money was simply delivered to that account.

READ ALSO: After FIJ story, IBEDC client receives credit adjustment of N201,844

“I couldn’t have done this alone. Interestingly, Remitly and Access Bank ignored me until something went viral on social media (and) until journalists like @fisayosoyombo started asking questions. I am touched by this concern. Know this, I appreciate you all! Holding institutions accountable is the way to go and the conversations have proven that.

“Thank you all for stepping up to help me. One young man even threatened to go to the bank and organize a protest… Dear @fisayosoyombo, thank you!”