The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all financial institutions, acquirers, processors, and payment service providers to fully implement mandatory dual connectivity for Point of Sale (PoS) transactions within one month.
The directive was contained in a circular dated December 11, 2025, and signed by the Director of the Payments System Supervision Department, Rakiya Yusuf.
The new rule updates an earlier policy issued in September 2024. According to the CBN, the measure is designed to reduce the frequent downtime experienced on PoS terminals across the country—an issue largely attributed to operators’ dependence on a single transaction channel.
The apex bank noted that the recurring disruptions undermine user confidence and hinder the growth of Nigeria’s electronic payment ecosystem.
Under the revised regulation, all acquirers, payment processors, and Payment Terminal Service Providers (PTSPs) are required to maintain active connectivity with both the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and Unified Payment Services Limited (UPSL).
“This directive aims to ensure redundancy, enhance transaction success rates, and strengthen the resilience of the PoS payments infrastructure,” the circular stated.
The CBN emphasized that compliance within the one-month timeline is mandatory, warning that failure to adhere to the directive may attract regulatory sanctions.
The development is expected to significantly improve transaction reliability for millions of Nigerians who depend on PoS terminals for daily financial activities.
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