It was decided to create a Banking Ombudsman Service in the delegation of the National Bank of Angola (BNA) in Huambo province, in order to address the various complaints of consumer rights violations and mismanagement of commercial Banks.
This decision is the result of one of the planned measures of the BNA concerning behavioral assessment at the level of the regional delegation, which arises in the context of the restructuring of the BNA. The BNA has implemented a plan to adapt the Angolan financial system, respecting international standards and good practices. To this end, the BNA is developing a program to modernize the regional delegations so that they are able to respond to the BNA's challenges, in particular regarding the supervision, prevention and combating of money laundering.
With the creation of this new Banking Ombudsman Service in the province of Huambo, the aim is to provide customers with a faster and more efficient mechanism where complaints and suggestions can be made about the service of commercial Banks, to improve banking services, to defend with dignity the rights of the client´s and help Banks to provide better services to citizens.
This mechanism aims above all to safeguard the rights of consumers in their relationship with commercial Banks and it will be available in various forms, such as by telephone, the internet or in person, so that their action is swift. The process begins with a first complaint from the customer to the Banking Ombudsman Service and afterwards the BNA analyzes the question, responds to the customer and issues a warning notice to the Bank in question to restore the client's right that has not been respected.
This service will be available later this year for all citizens who have a bank account with a provision in any commercial Bank operating in the region concerned.
Lisbon, 30th January, 2017.