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Experts Welcome ATM Charges, Banks Deploy More Machine

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Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor
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Stakeholders in the e-payment space have commended the reintroduction of N65 inter-bank Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) charge while cautioning the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) against undue interference in the operation of ATMs by banks.

This is coming as banks in the country have continued to invest more in the acquisition of ATMs with the purchase of nearly 3,000 money machines worth over $58million in the last eight months.

But James Agada, chief technology officer, Computer Warehouse Group, a company that sells and deploys Wincor Nixdorf brand of ATM, said that CBN does not have any business determining inter-bank ATM withdrawal fee for the banks as the regulator is not assisting the banks in offsetting the cost of running the ATMs.

He blamed inconsistence and interference by the CBN in the operation of ATM as the reasons why third party investors are shying away from rolling out ATMs in the country unlike the case in Europe and America.

Onajite Regha, executive secretary/CEO, E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN), said that: “though it may be called a policy reversal, somersault, or any other of the clichés that it has been described with, but the truth is that it was something we saw coming. ATM management is cost intensive right from purchase to maintenance of the machine. The idea to make it cost free to the consumer was great but unsustainable in the long term.

“The zero payment by consumers did not mean “no payments” for the payment stakeholders. It only meant that the issuer of the card would carry the cost for the holder. This could eventually discourage further investments on ATMs and then the consumers will suffer on the long run. But the emphasis now should be on the alternatives. People should limit withdrawing cash from the ATMs that is not cashless. The ATMs do much more than cash withdrawal. They should concentrate on the other payment alternatives such as PoS, internet, mobile etc. The banks will still bear about N195 per card in a month for all its card holders. “I believe this is to encourage financial inclusion,” she noted. 

Meanwhile, banks in the country have invested some $58million in the purchase of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) deployed across the country at both offsite and banking premises in eight months.

Investigations revealed that the number of active ATMs performing transactions across the country at bank branches, hotels and airports stood 15,000 as at the end of June this year.

This means that some 2,900 money machines were added to the about 12,100 as at the end of October last year.

The costs of ATMs are determined by their functionalities which include, mono-functional, cashless and multi-functional ATMs.


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E-Financial

FCMB Partners Truecaller to Reinforce Customer Communication, Trust

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First City Monument Bank (FCMB), one of Nigeria’s leading and most innovative customer-centric financial institutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Truecaller, the global platform for trusted communication, to transform the way it engages with customers across the country.

This collaboration is aimed at enhancing customer trust, reducing fraud, and ensuring that communication between FCMB and its customers is both safe, trusted, and seamless. With this partnership, FCMB will leverage Truecaller’s Customer Experience Solution and Branded Caller ID to ensure their customers receive transaction alerts, security notifications, and service updates with complete clarity and trust.

All FCMB calls will now display the bank’s verified name, logo, and brand details directly on customers’ mobile screens. This initiative reinforces FCMB’s strong commitment to digital safety, privacy, and customer trust. In today’s financial landscape, where impersonation and fraud are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Truecaller’s Customer Experience Solution is more than just a convenience — it is a vital safeguard for protecting customer relationships and enhancing confidence in every interaction.

In addition to smarter calling experience, FCMB has also activated its Business Page on the Truecaller app. This ensures that customers can independently discover, recognize, and engage with FCMB directly within the Truecaller app, reinforcing trust before the first point of contact is even made.

Together, these capabilities are helping FCMB strengthen its digital identity, reduce customer drop-offs, and improve the overall efficiency and credibility of its outbound communication efforts. Assured Authenticity: Customers can now instantly identify that calls from FCMB are genuine – reducing the risk of phishing or impersonation scams.

Enhanced Experience: Verified Business Caller ID brings clarity and eliminates uncertainty, particularly during critical communications such as security alerts or service updates.

Reinforced Trust: By adopting industry-leading communication capabilities, FCMB reaffirms its promise to protect customers with care, transparency, and innovation. Chief Information Officer at FCMB, Rotimi Famuwagun said: “At FCMB, our customers are at the heart of every innovation.

Through our partnership with Truecaller, we are strengthening communication security and fostering greater trust. When customers see the verified FCMB name along with our brand identity on incoming calls, they can be assured of transparency, authenticity, and care behind every interaction.’’

Priyam Bose, Global Head, GTM & Developer Products at Truecaller, shared: “At Truecaller, our goal is to help brands build meaningful, secure, and transparent communication at scale — especially in sectors like financial services where trust is everything.

“FCMB’s commitment to customer safety and trusted communication by embracing Truecaller Customer Experience Solution, FCMB is setting a new bar for what responsible, modern customer communication should look like — and we’re excited to support them on this journey.


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Don’t Spray, Mutilate Naira – CBN

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)  has warned Nigerians, especially market women, against spraying, hawking and mutilating of the naira, the nation’s national currency.

Don’t Spray, Mutilate Naira - CBN

Olayemi Cardoso, governor, CBN, who was represented by Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, acting director, Corporate Communications Department, CBN, spoke at the Central Bank Fair, held in Kaduna on Thursday.

He said the Fair was designed as a platform to interact with members of the public on the policies of the CBN for sustainable economic growth and development of the country.

The Fair was themed “Driving Alternative Payment Channels as Tools for Financial Inclusion, Growth and Accelerated Economic Development”.

The CBN boss said the theme was carefully chosen to address the links that catalyse Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and other critical activities for the much-needed price stability.

“I urge everyone here to rely only on information disseminated through the verifiable official channels of the Central Bank of Nigeria. I also encourage you to respect and keep the naira clean. Do not spray, hawk, mutilate or counterfeit the naira. It is our critical national symbol.

“The core objective of this engagement, therefore, is to sensitise members of the public on how the Bank’s policies enhance their lives and livelihood and contribute to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

“Our dedicated team is on hand to take us through presentations on different operations of the Bank, ranging from the recent innovations in the Nigerian payments system; microfinance sub-sector activities; developments in the foreign exchange market, protection of financial consumers and all you need to know about the naira.

“The Management of the Bank is committed to stimulating productivity and financial inclusiveness, as well as delivering on its core mandate of monetary and price stability.

“These efforts have already started yielding positive results, which include increases of inflows of foreign investments, positive trade balances and remarkable progress in financial inclusion.

“The CBN has spearheaded several key policies to strengthen the financial system which includes exchange rate unification; to minimise arbitrage opportunities and reduce volatility in the foreign exchange market and cleared over $7bn verified backlog of FX forwards.

“It also include Bank Recapitalisation; to strengthen the resilience and global competitiveness of the banking sector, positioning it to support the $1 trillion economy, launched the non-resident BVN to connect Nigerians abroad with home banking, unveiled the Nigeria Payments System Vision 2028 (PSV 2028); to accelerate digital transformation, deepen financial inclusion, and position Nigeria more strongly in global payments.

“To further protect banks’ customers and strengthen consumer confidence, the CBN launched the Unified Complaints Tracking System (UCTS) to streamline the management of consumer complaints against financial institutions. Alongside this, USSD code (*959#) was also introduced for verifying licensed institutions, and enhancing transparency in the Nigerian financial sector,” Governor Cardoso said.

Speaking earlier, Ahmad Dalhatu, Kaduna branch Controller of CBN, reaffirmed that the CBN Fair is one of the Bank’s major public enlightenment initiatives aimed at sensitising members of the public on the Bank’s policies, programmes, and interventions.

“It serves as a platform to deepen financial literacy, promote transparency, and strengthen trust between the Bank and the Nigerian people.

“Over the years, the Fair has evolved into a veritable channel for fostering two-way communication between the Central Bank and the Nigerian public. It enables us not only to explain our policies but also to listen to your concerns, feedback, and expectations. This year’s event continues in that tradition, and I encourage everyone here to actively participate in the discussions.

“As we navigate the evolving economic landscape—both globally and locally—the need for increased public awareness of monetary policy, financial inclusion, consumer protection, digital payments, and intervention programmes cannot be overemphasised. The CBN remains committed to ensuring a sound financial system and an inclusive economy where every Nigerian can thrive,” Dalhatu said.


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E-Financial

Fidelity Bank Extends GAIM 6 Promo, Boosts Total Cash Rewards to ₦189m

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L-R: Direct Sales Executive, Fidelity Bank Plc, Adegboyega Ademokunwa; GAIM 6 Eight Monthly draw Winner, Innocent Okoro Orji; Branch Leader, Fidelity Bank Plc, Gbagada, Chinwe Umez-Eronini; and Product Manager, Savings, Fidelity Bank Plc, at the GAIM 6 prize presentation ceremony held at Gbagada Building Materials market in Lagos recently.
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Fidelity Bank has announced a three-month extension of its Get Alert in Millions (GAIM) Season 6 promo, now running until November 30, 2025, with total cash rewards increased from ₦159 million to ₦189 million.

L-R: Direct Sales Executive, Fidelity Bank Plc, Adegboyega Ademokunwa; GAIM 6 Eight Monthly draw Winner, Innocent Okoro Orji; Branch Leader, Fidelity Bank Plc, Gbagada, Chinwe Umez-Eronini; and Product Manager, Savings, Fidelity Bank Plc, at the GAIM 6 prize presentation ceremony held at Gbagada Building Materials market in Lagos recently.

This move follows strong customer demand for more participation time and has received full regulatory approval.

Originally launched in November 2024 for nine months, the GAIM 6 campaign was set to end in August 2025. However, based on customer feedback, the bank extended the promo to allow more Nigerians to benefit.

Recently, the bank celebrated 20 winners nationwide, each receiving ₦1 million through electronically supervised draws overseen by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to ensure fairness.

With over ₦30 million still up for grabs in upcoming monthly draws, the final prizes include ₦2 million for second runner-up, ₦5 million for first runner-up, and a ₦10 million grand prize. Recipients also gain access to financial advisory support at the Fidelity SME Hub to help maximize their rewards.

Fidelity Bank serves over 9.1 million customers through digital channels and 255 branches, earning various awards for innovation, digital transformation, and SME banking excellence.

The bank continues to promote savings culture and financial empowerment across Nigeria through initiatives like GAIM.


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