Using a Foreign Card in Nigeria Just Got Easier as CBN Issues New Order

In a circular dated December 18, 2025, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directed deposit money banks and other financial institutions to properly configure their ATMs, POS terminals, and online payment platforms to accept foreign-issued cards such as Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay.

This means holders of international debit cards should be able to withdraw naira, make payments, and transfer funds without interruptions anywhere in the country. The reason behind the directive is for the purpose of improving the payment experience for tourists and Nigerians returning from abroad.

These people have complained about declined transactions, system downtimes, unclear fees, and some, complained about processing delays when using their foreign cards in Nigeria.

Therefore, the apex bank hopes that making ATM machines and POS terminals to properly support these card types in a global standards format will boost confidence in the financial system and make Nigeria easier to visit and transact in.

CBN's New Requirements for Banks and Payment Providers

To make this work, the CBN requires financial institutions to:

• Make sure that their systems (ATMs, POS, and virtual payment channels) are configure to accept international cards and meet global card association standards.
• Maintain high system availability (24/7) so that transactions don’t fail due to system or server downtime.
• Apply multi-factor authentication for higher-value foreign card transactions above set thresholds. This is required for transactions exceeding $200 per day.
• Clearly show exchange rates and all charges before customers confirm payments to ensure transparency.

In addition to that, CBN further stressed that:

• Banks must adjust fraud monitoring systems to avoid false declines but also protect against misuse.
• Merchants are expected to verify IDs and properly manage receipts for suspicious transactions.
• Suspected fraud must be reported to authorities like the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

If a tourist or returning Nigerian faces issues using a foreign card despite the directive, they are encouraged to report the problem to the CBN’s Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion Department. The CBN will monitor compliance and can sanction institutions that fail to follow the rules.

The directives (circulars) are part of the apex bank's push to make Nigeria’s payment landscape more seamless and reliable for tourists and diasporas of foreign debit cards. It's also a mean to boost the betterment of financial access and inclusion, enhanced security, and boost confidence in digital payments nationwide.