Is it okay to use ATMs late in the evening in Central African Republic or should I stick to daytime withdrawals only? I am a single woman travelling so want to be safe.
I crossed into Bangui by land from Cameroon and learned quickly that you need to manage your cash tightly. ATMs are scarce and often down. Even during the day, I had to try three machines to get money. After dark? Forget it. Power cuts, street emptiness, and occasional unrest make night withdrawals unsafe and impractical.
I wouldn’t recommend using ATMs at night in the Central African Republic - or using them much at all. Machines run out of cash, electricity cuts happen, and after 7 PM, the city quiets down fast. I withdrew cash in daylight with a group. Even locals prefer that. If you're traveling here, carry enough CFA francs for your stay and a backup USD stash.
I was in CAR for three weeks covering a story. Tried to get money from a UBA ATM in central Bangui at 8 PM. The ATM was inside a petrol station, but even then, I had a guard stand nearby. This is not a place where you casually withdraw money at night. Most expats arrange for cash withdrawals via hotel desk services or trusted contacts.
ATM safety at night in the Central African Republic is a no-go. I worked for a medical NGO in Bangui for a year. We were strongly advised not to move around after dark, and never to use ATMs outside daylight hours. Ecobank’s downtown branch has the most reliable machines, but they’re best accessed with a local during daytime.