Banks shut, trading activities grounded in states

Major commercial areas including banks and markets were shut down on Thursday. The protests, fueled by growing discontent over governance issues, led to closures that have raised concerns about economic impacts and security. Banks along Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos remained closed as of the time of filing this report. Similarly, many Deposit Money Banks in Abuja, Nasarawa and Niger states were closed. A banker from Access Bank, who simply identified himself as Temitayo, explained that the bank’s management prioritised employee safety over operations. “We were asked not to open today because of the protest. According to the management of the bank, our safety comes first. I think all branches of Access Bank nationwide are doing the same thing,” Temitayo stated. Similarly, a banker at First Bank stated that the management of the bank instructed employees to work from home adding that the decision reflects widespread safety concerns. Click here for more.