A job applicant has alleged that Wema Bank rejected her application for a Branch Service Associate position after an interview, citing concerns over her loan status with NIRSAL.
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In an email shared on Facebook, the applicant was thanked for participating in the interview but told that the bank was unable to proceed with her application because of concerns related to her NIRSAL loan.
The message advised her to clear the loan and contact the bank after it had been cleared so that the recruitment process could proceed.
The screenshot generated reactions on Facebook, with some users questioning whether an outstanding loan should affect a person’s chances of securing employment.
Some commenters also advised people to check their credit reports. One commenter recommended PebbleScore, a credit-report service that says it provides access to reports from Nigeria’s three major credit bureaus: CRC Credit Bureau, FirstCentral Credit Bureau and CreditRegistry. Its website says users can check reports and identify outstanding debts, late payments and other credit issues.
However, the comments should not be treated as confirmation that Wema Bank has introduced a general policy of rejecting applicants with NIRSAL loans.
Wema Bank’s official recruitment portal states that its employment process is based on merit, competence, performance and business needs. The bank also says it is registered with licensed credit bureaus and may use credit information in its banking activities.
NIRSAL says NIRSAL Plc is different from NIRSAL Microfinance Bank and is a non-bank financial institution focused on de-risking agricultural lending. It also says NIRSAL does not itself give loans but guarantees bank loans under relevant programmes.
As of publication, there is no Wema Bank statement confirming that an outstanding NIRSAL loan automatically disqualifies job applicants. The Facebook post therefore remains an applicant’s reported experience, rather than evidence of a general recruitment rule.
