I withdrew cash at an ATM in Niger and selected Accept Conversion because it sounded safer. Later I saw the rate was terrible. Is this normal?
Yes, this is a common issue in West Africa. I used a Societe Generale ATM near the Niamey Grand Marche and hit “Accept.” My N26 card was charged in euros at a much worse rate than expected. That’s how DCC works it gives the ATM control over the exchange, and they build in a markup you don’t see upfront. If you’re using travel cards like Wise, Monzo, or Revolut, always Decline Conversion to get the better rate.
I was in Niamey recently and used a Banque Atlantique ATM. I hit “Accept,” assuming it was just confirming the withdrawal, but my Monzo card got charged in pounds at a terrible exchange rate. DCC is sneaky the ATM converts for you, but not in your favor. I tested it the next day with “Decline” and saved several percent. Since then, I always decline conversion no matter the country.
Same thing happened to me at an Ecobank ATM in Zinder. I selected “Accept” because it sounded like the safer option, but my Revolut card was billed at a bad GBP rate. That’s DCC the ATM converts the amount instead of your bank and includes a markup in the rate. I tried again later and selected “Decline” the difference in what I was charged was obvious. If you see your home currency on the ATM screen, always decline it.
Yes, that’s totally normal but unfortunately not in a good way. I withdrew cash from a Bank of Africa ATM in Niamey, hit “Accept” thinking it would avoid extra fees, but my Wise card later showed I got a really poor exchange rate, about 6% worse than mid-market. That’s due to Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). When you accept, the ATM handles the currency exchange and almost always adds hidden fees via the rate. Always Decline Conversion and let your card provider convert instead.