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E-Financial

CBN to Release Guideline on Shared Agent Network

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Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor
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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will next year release a new guideline for Agent Banking (AB) relationships in Nigeria to spark real mobile money business in the country and curb abuses.

This is coming on the heels of the increasing interplay of telecommunications and banking in mobile money schemes. It will be recalled that Globacom blazed the trail with the launch of money super agent network called Glo Xchange.

The Glo Xchange platform was officially launched in partnership with three licensed mobile money operators, FirstMonie, Ecobank and Stanbic IBTC in Lagos.

Also in October 2014, Diamond bank in partnership with MTN Nigeria launched Diamond Y’ello Account (DYA), a hybrid account that offers the over 58 million MTN subscribers a fusion of financial services and telecoms incentives such as money transfer and withdrawal, account statements confirmation and airtime purchase amongst a host of available features and benefits.

Only last week, Access Bank Plc, leading financial institution in collaborated with Airtel foremost telecom operator, developed and launched mobile money service called ‘Access Money powered by Airtel’.

The service allows customers to perform simple, secure and instant financial transactions using their mobile phones, while customers on the mobile network can send and receive money, make deposits and withdrawals, pay their utility bills and buy airtime for their lines.

Sola Bickersteth, chief executive officer, One Network, however, told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that with the entrance of the big players into the market, there is need for caution in rolling out Agent Network.

He said, “My view is that now that serious players are getting involved; the MTN of this world, Glo, Airtel, and banks, of course, there are other serious players who are very actively putting things in order; it is just going to change the whole game”.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

E-Financial

CBN Slams ₦250m Fine on Paystack Over Zap Wallet Operations

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has slammed a ₦250 million fine on Paystack for operating Zap, its peer-to-peer payment app, as a wallet in breach of its regulatory approval.

The apex bank flagged Zap as a deposit-taking product, a function reserved exclusively for institutions with microfinance or banking licences, according to a report by TechCabal.

Launched in March, Zap allows users to send and receive money, positioning itself as a consumer-facing digital wallet.

However, Paystack only holds a switching and processing licence, which permits it to facilitate transactions but not to hold customer funds. This regulatory limitation is at the heart of the CBN’s sanction, sources familiar with the matter said.

“Paystack is working closely with the regulator as they further review Zap, and out of respect for the process, we won’t be making any public comments at this time,” a company spokesperson said.

The penalty comes amid a legal dispute between Paystack and Zap Africa, a Nigerian crypto startup, which has accused the fintech of trademark infringement.

In Nigeria’s highly regulated financial services space, digital wallets are considered deposit-taking entities, and offering such services without the requisite licence raises compliance concerns for the regulator.

Although Zap reportedly does not directly hold customer funds, it operates in partnership with Titan Trust Bank, which is authorised to accept deposits.

This is Paystack’s most significant publicly disclosed regulatory sanction since it received CBN approval in 2016. It reveals the growing scrutiny facing fintech firms as they transition from enterprise-focused offerings to consumer-facing financial services.

 


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E-Financial

Gtb Increases SMS Transaction Alert Fee Today

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Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has announced an increase in its SMS transaction alert fee from ₦4 to ₦6 per message, effective May 1, 2025. The bank cited a recent rise in telecommunication tariffs by service providers as the reason for the adjustment.

In a message to customers, GTBank explained that SMS alerts sent to international phone numbers would attract higher charges due to varying telecom costs. The bank emphasized the importance of transaction alerts in helping customers monitor account activity

Customers who no longer wish to receive SMS alerts have the option to update their alert preferences by submitting a form available on the bank’s website via email. This move allows customers to manage their notification preferences according to their needs.

The fee increase affects GTBank customers, who will now be charged ₦6 per SMS alert for transactions


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E-Financial

Panic as Hackers Allegedly Steal N9.3Bn Customers’ Fund from Union Bank

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Yetunde Oni, MD/CEO, Union Bank
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Union Bank of Nigeria Plc is facing a major financial scandal after hackers reportedly siphoned N9.3 billion from multiple customer accounts.

The breach, which occurred on March 23, 2025, has led to an urgent legal battle as the bank seeks to freeze accounts suspected of receiving the stolen funds.

Court filings reveal that the cybercriminals exploited a critical system glitch, discreetly transferring the money in small amounts across 54 financial institutions to evade detection.

Oluwasegun Falola, Union Bank’s Head of E-Fraud Investigations, confirmed that tracking the transactions has been challenging due to their fragmented nature.

Acting swiftly, the bank filed a lawsuit (FHC/L/CS/629/2025) at the Federal High Court in Lagos, requesting an emergency order to halt further withdrawals. On April 2, 2025, the bank’s legal team, led by A. Adedoyin-Adeniyi, informed the court that the stolen funds were still being actively moved—suggesting an ongoing laundering operation.

In response, Justice Deinde Dipeolu granted a Post No Debit (PND) order, freezing all implicated accounts pending further investigation.

This crisis comes just 15 months after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dissolved Union Bank’s former board over governance failures. Under the leadership of MD Yetunde Oni, the bank now faces intense scrutiny as customers demand accountability.


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