The Central Bank of Nigeria has observed that a number of the acceptance devices deployed by banks discriminate between payment cards. For the avoidance of doubt, ail certified payment acceptance devices deployed in Nigeria are required to accept ALL transactions arising from ANY card issued by ANY Nigerian bank.

This Circular serves as a reminder of the following provisions of the Guidelines on Operations of Electronic Payment Channels in Nigeria (June 2020):

Section 2.4.1.3:

Merchant Acquirers shall ensure that POS terminals purchased and deployed at merchant/retailer locations through CBN licensed Payment Terminal Services Provider shall accept all cards (card agnostic).

Section 2.4.1.7:

To achieve interoperability, all POS terminals deployed in Nigeria shall accept all transactions arising from any card issued by any Nigerian bank. Accordingly, Acquirers and other service providers shall be card neutral entities that have no reason to promote or favour any card brand over the other.

Section 2.4.1.8:

Every acquirer must be able to accept all cards issued by Nigerian banks, whether through a direct licence or via an arrangement with any other acquirer that is licensed under the relevant card/payment schemes.

You are also to note the Circular on Interoperability and Interconnectivity of the Payments System Infrastructure in Nigeria.

This serves as a notice to all banks and acquirers to desist from the practice of discrimination, as observed breaches will attract appropriate regulatory sanctions.

Please be guided accordingly.