A new industry report has found that 71 per cent of Nigerians believe in-app support on banking applications is ineffective, exposing serious usability gaps in the country’s fast-expanding digital finance sector.
The findings are contained in the State of UX in Financial Apps: Nigeria Report 2025, released on Wednesday by Interswitch.
The study surveyed hundreds of banking app users and combined interviews with technical assessments based on global usability standards. It revealed that although digital banking adoption is rising steadily, support systems inside apps have failed to keep pace.
Users Frustrated by Poor Guidance
According to the report, many customers struggle to access timely and effective help within their banking apps. Key complaints include:
- Unclear error messages
- Lack of real-time assistance
- Complicated navigation
- Limited guidance during technical failures
While core services such as fund transfers perform relatively well, users reported persistent issues with bill payments, airtime purchases and resolving failed transactions.
Most apps, the report noted, do not provide intuitive guidance or immediate solutions when problems arise, leaving users confused and frustrated.
“User Experience Is the Product”
Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Communications at Interswitch, said user experience now defines digital financial services.
“User experience is no longer a cosmetic layer in financial services; it is the product itself,” she said.
“As digital channels become the primary way people engage with financial institutions, trust, simplicity and reliability are what truly differentiate one platform from another.”
Global Standards Reveal Design Gaps
The evaluation applied usability principles developed by Jakob Nielsen, assessing financial apps across system feedback, error prevention, consistency, flexibility and accessibility.
Although improvements were recorded in reliability and transparency, the report identified significant gaps in user-centred design. It urged banks and fintech firms to prioritise simpler interfaces and clearer in-app support systems.
Trust and Growth at Stake
Interswitch said the report targets financial institutions, fintech operators and regulators, stressing that better user experience is essential to deepen adoption and sustain growth in Nigeria’s digital banking ecosystem.
As digital finance becomes the default channel for millions of Nigerians, ineffective in-app support could undermine trust in the very platforms driving financial inclusion.
