CBN gives banks one month to ensure PoS systems have backup connections
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a new directive to strengthen the reliability of Point of Sale (PoS) transactions. All financial institutions and payment service providers must now implement dual connectivity within one month. The policy, signed by Rakiya Yusuf, aims to minimize transaction failures due to system downtime. The update builds on earlier guidelines introduced in September 2024.
What we know
- The CBN circular, dated December 11, 2025, requires PoS systems to connect with both NIBSS and UPSL.
- This dual connectivity is designed to reduce outages caused by reliance on a single payment channel.
- All banks and payment providers must conduct regular redundancy and failover tests to ensure uninterrupted service.
- NIBSS and UPSL are now obligated to immediately notify banks of any downtime and submit detailed incident reports to the CBN within 24 hours.
- The move is part of ongoing efforts by CBN to stabilize Nigeria’s payment infrastructure and improve customer experience.
