The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has directed all banks, financial institutions, acquirers, and payment service providers to implement mandatory dual connectivity for Point of Sale, PoS, transactions within the next month.
The directive, contained in a circular dated December 11, 2025, was signed by the Director of Payments System Supervision, Rakiya Yusuf.
The policy updates an earlier directive issued in September 2024.
According to the apex bank, the new requirement is aimed at addressing persistent PoS downtime caused by reliance on a single transaction channel.
Under the policy, acquirers, processors, and payment terminal service providers must maintain active connections with both the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS, and Unified Payment Services Limited, UPSL.
The CBN stated that the dual-connectivity framework will reduce dependence on a single aggregator and strengthen the stability of the nation’s electronic payment infrastructure.
To ensure full compliance, the bank has mandated regular redundancy and failover tests. NIBSS and UPSL are required to work with regulated institutions to verify that systems can maintain uninterrupted service, with test results forming part of the CBN’s supervisory review.
The circular also introduces tighter reporting obligations. NIBSS and UPSL must immediately notify banks of any downtime and submit a detailed incident report to the Payments System Supervision Department within 24 hours, highlighting the cause, impact, and corrective measures taken.
“It aims to address frequent PoS downtime caused by reliance on a single transaction channel. NIBSS and UPSL must notify banks immediately during any downtime and submit a detailed incident report to the Payments System Supervision Department within 24 hours, outlining the cause, impact, and corrective actions taken,” the circular stated.
The directive comes barely a week after the Corporate Affairs Commission ordered unregistered PoS operators to register or risk being shut down, while also warning fintech companies against sharp practices