Banking
CBN Directs Banks to Increase ATM Terminals to Ease Reliance on PoS
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced new minimum standards for Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across the country as part of efforts to make more cash points available and reduce the growing reliance on Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminals.
The move, contained in a draft circular titled Exposure of the Draft Guidelines on the Operations of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Nigeria, build up on previous regulations and is aimed at improving accessibility, security, and consumer protection in ATM operations.
The directive comes amid a sharp increase in the use of PoS terminals across Nigeria. As of March 2025, there were about 8.3 million registered PoS machines nationwide, while deployed terminals stood at 5.56 million in December 2024, a 127 per cent rise from the previous year.
The surge in PoS usage has turned merchant-based withdrawals into a major part of everyday cash transactions, but it has also come with a lot of worries.
According to the new guidelines, all card-issuing institutions must deploy at least one ATM for every 5,000 payment cards issued. The implementation will be gradual, with 30 per cent of the target to be achieved by 2026 and full compliance by 2028.
By increasing the number of ATMs nationwide, the CBN hopes to ease pressure on the PoS network, expand banking touchpoints, and strengthen confidence in the country’s payment infrastructure.
The CBN’s latest policy seeks to address this imbalance by ensuring that banks deploy more ATMs to meet public demand for easy and secure access to cash.
ATMs must be located in safe and secure environments that guarantee user confidentiality, and those installed outside buildings must be bolted to the floor.
Any deployment, relocation, or removal of ATMs will require prior written approval from the CBN.
Independent ATM Deployers (IADs) must also obtain CBN approval, fulfill licensing requirements, and show evidence of partnership with a bank responsible for cash supply.
To strengthen consumer protection, the CBN ordered that failed “on-us” transactions, those carried out on a customer’s own bank ATM, must be reversed instantly, or within 24 hours if technical issues occur.
For “not-on-us” transactions conducted on other banks’ ATMs, refunds must be completed within 48 hours.
The guidelines also mandate automatic refund mechanisms that initiate reversals without the customer or issuing bank having to raise a complaint.
The new framework also places emphasis on security. All ATMs must have cameras that record persons and activities such as card insertion and cash dispensing but must not record customer keystrokes.
They must also be equipped with anti-skimming devices to prevent card fraud. ATM encryption keys must be changed annually and cannot be used for multiple machines, while customers are allowed to change their PINs free of charge.
Furthermore, the apex bank noted that all deployers and acquirers must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) to ensure data safety and transaction integrity.
Operationally, ATMs must remain functional with downtime not exceeding 72 consecutive hours.
The CBN also noted that where this is unavoidable, customers must be informed.
Banks are also required to ensure that cash is always available in their ATMs, and even where non-bank deployers are involved, the partner bank remains fully responsible for cash provisioning.
Also, each ATM must clearly display customer service contacts, charges, and fees, and provide receipts for all transactions except balance enquiries.
To enforce compliance, the CBN said it will conduct regular audits and on-site inspections to verify service quality, cash availability, and adherence to the guidelines.
All institutions must also submit monthly reports on new ATM deployments and related activities no later than the fifth day of the following month. Defaulters will face penalties and other regulatory sanctions.
The apex bank said the new measures are designed to guide ATM deployers on density requirements, enhance consumer protection, and improve access to cash through secure and reliable channels.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) says depositors of failed banks in Nigeria can now access their insured funds within days.
The corporation said the development is a part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening confidence in the country’s financial system.
The chief executive of NDIC, Mr Thompson Sunday, disclosed this on Thursday at the NDIC Special Day of the 47th Kaduna International Trade Fair, noting that recent interventions had significantly improved the speed and efficiency of depositor compensation.
Represented by Mrs Regina Dimlong, the Assistant Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Mr Sunday said the corporation had successfully deployed the Bank Verification Number (BVN) system to facilitate prompt payments to customers of recently failed banks, including Heritage Bank Limited, Union Homes Plc and Aso Savings and Loans Plc.
“Depositors were paid within days of closure without the need to fill physical forms or visit NDIC offices.
“This is a part of our reform efforts to make depositor protection faster, simpler and more transparent,” he said.
According to him, the reforms were designed to restore public confidence in the banking system and prevent panic withdrawals, especially during periods of financial stress.
Mr Sunday explained that NDIC’s mandate spans deposit insurance, bank supervision, distress resolution and liquidation of failed banks, adding that the Corporation works closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure early detection of risks in insured institutions.
He disclosed that in 2024, NDIC reviewed its deposit insurance framework, increasing coverage for depositors of Deposit Money Banks, Mobile Money Operators and Non-Interest Banks to N5 million, while customers of Microfinance Banks, Primary Mortgage Banks and Payment Service Banks are now covered up to N2 million.
He noted that the revised thresholds now guarantee full protection for about 99 per cent of depositors nationwide, particularly small savers and low-income earners.
The NDIC boss urged Nigerians to ensure their BVNs are properly linked to their bank accounts, stressing that this had become the primary channel for accessing insured deposits in the event of bank failure.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has secured a major strategic gain at the ongoing 39th African Union Summit, after securing a permanent seat on the board of the African Central Bank.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed this at the summit on Friday, highlighting it as a significant milestone for both Nigeria and the West African region.
The African Central Bank (ACB) is one of the original five financial institutions and specialised agencies of the African Union (AU).
“Importantly, Nigeria has been given the hosting of the African Monetary Institute and the African Central Bank. Not only that, in today’s plenary, Nigeria was confirmed a seat on the board of the African Central Bank. This is huge,” he said.
He stated that the development represents a diplomatic breakthrough, mentioning that the move faced initial opposition from some member states.
“It is something that was initially resisted by some countries, so now we have a permanent seat on the African Central Bank board. It’s a major success,” he added.
This year’s summit carries the theme Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063, the sessions will focus on advancing continental commitments to sustainable water management and improved sanitation, critical pillars for health, agricultural productivity, and the broader development aspirations of the AU’s Agenda 2063 framework.
Beyond financial governance, Nigeria and the West African bloc also recorded progress in elections to the Peace and Security Council, the African Union’s highest decision-making body on conflict and security matters.
The delegation announced that “Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and the Republic of Benin have been elected,” with Benin securing a fresh term while the other two countries were re-elected.
The Peace and Security Council also convened to deliberate on the situations in Sudan and Somalia. Nigeria voiced strong reservations over Sudan’s potential readmission into the continental body.
“Nigeria voiced its reservations about Sudan being readmitted because, as you know, there are two warring factions in Sudan,” Tuggar stated.
“We reminded the Peace and Security Council that we have to abide by the rules and regulations of the African Union. If there has been an unconstitutional change of government, then the country should not be allowed to participate, and that was carried.”
The summit also outlined its 2026 theme: water sustainability. The Nigerian representative underscored the country’s strategic and demographic significance in advancing that agenda.
“Nigeria was created out of the confluence of the River Niger and the River Benue. So water is very important,” he said.
“We are the largest country in Africa, with a population of 230 million people. We’re going to be 400 million in the next 24 years. So water is a source of life. It’s very important, and we’re playing a very pivotal role in implementing the programs that are being set for the theme of the year.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The second African Markets Conference (AMC) will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from Sunday, February to Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
The event, hosted by Standard Bank, will bring together global institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, and African policymakers to catalyse the flow of capital into the continent’s most critical sectors.
The theme for this year’s edition is Mobilising Global Capital at Scale for Africa’s Growth and Development.
AMC 2026 will host a high-level delegation of decision-makers, ensuring that the dialogue leads to tangible commitments.
The conference will be structured around five high-impact pillars designed to move the needle on investment, including prioritising infrastructure as an asset class, accelerating the energy transition, deepening African capital markets and mobilising private capital, enabling intra-African trade and flows of capital, and addressing Africa’s sovereign debt and cost sustainability.
It is estimated that by 2050, Africa will add one billion people, more than half in cities, yet it invests only $75 billion of the $150 billion it needs annually for infrastructure. Standard Bank aims to use AMC 2026 to ensure that African priorities remain at the centre of the global financial discourse.
“This year’s engagement bridges the gap between policy ambitions and market realities. Africa urgently needs practical measures to deepen capital pools, improve market liquidity, and strengthen regulatory frameworks that give investors the confidence to deploy capital at scale.
“Mobilising capital is not just about funding projects; it is about building the foundation of a more balanced and inclusive global economy,” the chief executive of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Bank Group, Luvuyo Masinda, stated.
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