Banking
Tunisia Joins Nigeria, Others to Adopt PAPSS
By Adedapo Adesanya
Tunisia, through its central bank, Banque Centrale de Tunisie (BCT), has joined the Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), making it the first North African country and 13th country to be boarded on the platform.
PAPSS, developed by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, facilitates real-time settlement of intra-African trade and payments, in African currencies, across the continent.
The platform unites central banks from across Africa and seeks to address the existing challenges faced by African businesses and individuals in accessing efficient and cost-effective cross-border payment services.
Launched two years ago, PAPSS has steadily expanded its footprint in Africa, now establishing itself in four regions. This network includes six in the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) region (Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone), three in East Africa (Kenya, Rwanda, and Djibouti), and three in Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi). Tunisia is now its first North African member.
It is part of efforts to strengthen its commitment to promoting seamless cross-border payment services and enhancing financial integration across the African continent.
Tunisia joins PAPSS under the commercial bank settlement model that was introduced last year at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings in Accra, Ghana.
By adopting this model, BCT will preserve its foreign currency reserves and promote the use of the Tunisian Dinar for cross-border payments with the rest of Africa. This strategic move will undoubtedly enhance the value of its currency shortly and significantly decrease reliance on foreign currencies.
With this development, the Tunisian commercial banks can now commence their onboarding process onto the PAPSS system.
According to a statement from Afreximbank, BCT’s membership in PAPSS signifies the bank’s determination to foster economic growth and development within the country and the African region.
“This value-adding collaboration will allow Tunisian businesses and citizens to benefit from enhanced payment efficiency, reduced transaction costs, and more opportunities to trade and pay with other African countries,” the statement added.
Commenting on this landmark achievement, Mr. Marouane El Abassi, Governor of Tunisia’s central bank said that the inclusion of BCT in the PAPSS system demonstrates the country’s commitment to regional integration within the African continent at an economic and financial level.
He further stated that this initiative supports the Government’s efforts, led by the Ministry of Commerce, to integrate Tunisia into the AfCFTA.
In 2022, BCT also joined the inter-Arab payment and settlement System (BUNA), in continuation of its commitment to the country’s strategic priorities.
Additionally, Mr El Abassi called upon banks and the Post Office to join this efficient and cost-effective alternative mechanism to better support Tunisian economic operators in their transactions across the African continent.
He emphasised the importance of opening new commercial opportunities with Africa and expanding Tunisia’s presence in this promising market.
The Chief Executive Officer of PAPSS Mr Mike Ogbalu III emphasised the significance of Banque Centrale de Tunisie joining PAPSS.
“We are thrilled to welcome Banque Centrale de Tunisie as our thirteenth member and first Central Bank in North Africa. Their inclusion highlights the growing recognition of PAPSS’s transformative role in simplifying cross-border payments on the continent.
“As PAPSS continues to expand its membership base, we are encouraged by the commitment of central banks in facilitating trade and investment flows within Africa. This represents another step towards realizing our collective aspirations for an integrated African market.”
Also commenting on the signing, Mrs Ben Rejeb, Minister of Trade & Export Development emphasized the significance of joining a platform that can facilitate integration into the formal sector, enhance intra-African exports, and reduce transaction costs and processing times.
“As the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) continues to attract more countries, we are witnessing a growing belief among Africans in their abilities and potential to drive the development of the continent through their initiatives.
“At Afreximbank, we have unwavering confidence that PAPSS will revolutionize the payment landscape within Africa, ultimately benefiting our people. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Banque Centrale de Tunisie for their trust and decision to join the PAPSS network, as it signifies a significant step towards achieving our shared goals,” added Mr George Elombi, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank.
Afreximbank anticipates that more central banks will join the platform throughout the current year.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An initiative known as Nigeria Lightning Rounds, designed to expand funding opportunities for Nigerian startups and small businesses by connecting founders with local and international investors, has been launched by ProvidusUnity Bank, in partnership with US-based global venture firm and accelerator, gener8tor.
Scheduled to be held on July 15, 2026, Nigeria Lightning Rounds will feature carefully selected startups engaging with targeted investors who have expressed interest in supporting Nigerian innovation.
Participating founders will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses through focused 15-minute virtual sessions facilitated by gener8tor and ProvidusUnity Bank’s networks.
The program will focus on high-growth sectors including fintech, healthtech, manufacturing, sustainability, and AI, but welcomes SMEs from all industries, with intending participants urged to apply via https://www.gener8tor.com/lightning-rounds/nigeria.
“We recognise that access to capital remains one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Through our partnership with gener8tor, we are creating a platform that connects promising Nigerian founders with investors who can provide the support required to scale their businesses,” the Head of Business Development at ProvidusUnity Bank, Mr Ernest Elue, stated.
“The partnership reinforces ProvidusUnity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting innovation, enabling access to opportunities, and creating pathways for businesses with high-growth potential,” he added.
Also commenting, the Director of Lightning Rounds at gener8tor, Ms Elizabeth Larios, said, “gener8tor is thrilled to partner with ProvidusUnity Bank to extend the Lightning Rounds model into Nigeria.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to building equitable ecosystems and driving capital to the most promising and underrepresented entrepreneurs.”
Lightning Rounds are a signature initiative of gener8tor’s investment platform, which has facilitated thousands of investor-startup meetings globally. The format is optimised to eliminate friction, reduce bias in early-stage fundraising, and help founders secure capital from investors aligned with their mission and stage. gener8tor’s previous Lightning Rounds for Nigerian Founders in 2025 featured 18 participating Investors and led to 50 investment meetings facilitated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The verification of the depositors of the 46 microfinance banks, whose operating licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a week ago, has commenced.
The exercise, aimed at refunding those whose funds were trapped in the small lenders, is being conducted by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
In a statement on Thursday, the agency said its staff members have been positioned at the offices of the affected banks across the country to attend to depositors.
It was disclosed that depositors of the defunct banks, who had their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) linked to their accounts in the failed banks, will be paid through their alternative accounts in existing banks.
However, depositors whose BVNs were not linked to their accounts in the failed banks have been encouraged to visit the affected banks’ offices with proof of account ownership, a passport photograph, verifiable means of identification (Driver’s Licence, Permanent Voter’s Card, International Passport or National ID Card) and BVN.
NDIC also stated that depositors can alternatively file their claims online through its website: www.ndic.gov.ng, to complete the Pre-Verification Claims Form by clicking on the Search Bar, and typing Pre-Verification Claims Form; opening the Form and filling in their details. They can also do so by clicking the link: https://ndic.gov.ng/ndic-pre-verification-claims-form/ or by visiting any of the NDIC offices closest to them to file their claims.
For further enquiries, the corporation can be reached on any of the following lines: 09037273810, 09038197064, 08104220807, 09064657140.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolment has slowed significantly in 2026 following the introduction of a stricter regulatory framework by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the latest data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) showing that registrations are on course to fall well below last year’s record.
The BVN database stood at 69.55 million as of July 5, 2026, up from 69.32 million in June, indicating that only 228,947 new registrations were recorded over the period. Since the end of 2025, when the database stood at 67.8 million, total enrolments have increased by 1.75 million.
At the current pace, however, BVN registrations are unlikely to match the 4.3 million new enrolments recorded in 2025, suggesting a sharp deceleration in growth this year.
The slowdown comes after the CBN introduced a revised BVN regulatory framework in March, with the new rules taking effect on May 1, 2026. The framework tightened controls around enrolment, identity verification and fraud monitoring as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity of the banking system.
Among the key changes was the introduction of a minimum enrolment age of 18 years, effectively preventing minors from registering for a BVN.
The new framework also limits customers to a one-time change of the phone number linked to their BVN and requires financial institutions to place BVNs linked to suspected fraudulent transactions on a temporary watch-list for up to 24 hours while investigations are carried out.
The stricter rules contrast with last year’s surge in registrations, which was largely driven by the introduction of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative that enabled Nigerians in the diaspora to complete BVN enrolment remotely, removing physical barriers and expanding access to the financial system.
Launched on February 14, 2014, the BVN scheme was introduced by the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, NIBSS and German technology firm Dermalog to assign every bank customer a unique biometric identity that can be verified across Nigeria’s banking industry.
