As Nigeria’s digital finance ecosystem grows more sophisticated, customer expectations are shifting beyond speed and convenience to something more fundamental: access to real human guidance when it matters most. Responding to this shift, fintech company Sycamore has rolled out a new service initiative designed to guarantee round-the-clock access to human agents across its financial products, including large loans, investments, savings, and multi-currency operations.

The initiative, launched recently, provides customers with 24/7 customer support and sets defined service benchmarks—a maximum two-minute response time for live chat and a one-hour turnaround for email inquiries. Customers can reach human agents at any time through phone calls, WhatsApp, and social media channels, covering needs that range from loan applications and investment portfolio reviews to multi-currency wallet transactions.

The move addresses a growing pain point in Nigeria’s expanding fintech sector. As platforms evolve from offering basic payments to handling more complex financial products, automated systems alone are proving insufficient. Customers navigating high-value loans, investment decisions, or foreign exchange exposure increasingly require real-time, human insight—often outside traditional business hours.

According to Sycamore Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Babatunde Akin-Moses, the service model reflects the reality of how people now make financial decisions. Financial activity, he noted, does not follow a nine-to-five schedule. Customers assessing investment opportunities late at night or managing currency exposure during periods of market volatility need immediate access to knowledgeable professionals who can provide clarity and context. Sycamore, he said, has deliberately structured its service delivery around this reality.

The timing of the initiative also aligns with broader trends in the financial services industry. Data from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) shows that between March and August 2025, banking and fintech companies accounted for more than 4,600 consumer complaints, with fintech firms alone responsible for 1,442 cases. These complaints ranged from transaction disputes to challenges related to digital lending and investment products, highlighting the pressure on service quality as the sector scales.

As financial technology platforms broaden their offerings to include big loans, asset management, investments, and foreign currency products, service expectations have evolved. Solutions that work for simple transfers often fall short when customers need help understanding loan terms, evaluating investment allocations, or managing multi-currency strategies.

Mojisola Fagbohunlu, Sycamore’s Head of Marketing, described the shift as an inflection point for the industry. She noted that customers are now managing increasingly complex financial products through their mobile devices—making decisions that directly affect their businesses, long-term financial outcomes, and purchasing power. In such situations, especially when questions arise outside normal banking hours, human insight becomes critical.

Sycamore Group operates under dual regulatory frameworks, holding a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) licence for fund and portfolio management, alongside a money lenders licence for its lending operations. In the 2025 financial year, the Group processed over ₦100 billion in transactions for approximately 400,000 customers, spanning salary loans, business financing, investments, asset portfolios, and multi-currency wallets.

Maintaining a fully staffed, round-the-clock human support system requires significant operational investment. However, Akin-Moses argues that the economics are justified as product complexity increases and as more value-creating activity occurs during weekends and off-peak hours. While automated systems are effective for straightforward transactions, he explained, conversations around risk tolerance, currency protection, or investment suitability demand human expertise.

The launch also comes amid heightened regulatory attention on consumer protection. In September 2025, the FCCPC introduced comprehensive Digital Lending Regulations focused on transparency, data privacy, and customer treatment. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has similarly intensified scrutiny of service delivery standards across digital finance platforms.

For Sycamore, the initiative represents a strategic bet that service quality and constant availability will become defining differentiators as Nigeria’s fintech sector matures. The company is tracking metrics such as resolution times, customer satisfaction, and product adoption to assess the impact of the new support model.

Early indicators suggest strong engagement outside traditional business hours, particularly as the company expands its borderless offerings. According to Fagbohunlu, customers are increasingly making financial decisions at times that suit them rather than when banks are open—a core promise of digital finance. The new initiative, she said, is about ensuring that service delivery finally matches that promise.