Category: Legal Advice

Fintech License Costs and Processing Time in Nigeria

In 2020, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced a new set of rules that affected fintech companies operating under a broad payment service license. The CBN released a circular stating that it had approved new license categorizations for payment systems. These new rules aimed to streamline fintech startups according to their capabilities and limitations, effectively assigning them to specific fields of operation. As a result, four new groups were established: switching and processing payment service providers, payment service providers involved in mobile money (MMOs), payment service providers involved in payment solutions (PSSs), and payment service providers under the regulatory sandbox.

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What Does a Payment Service Bank License Allow in Nigeria?

According to the regulations set forth by the Nigerian central bank, subsidiaries of mobile network operators (telcos), mobile money operators, retail chains (supermarkets), and banking agents are eligible to apply for the PSB license, provided they meet specific requirements. These prerequisites include a capital base of 5 billion naira ($12 million) and a combined application and license fee amounting to 2.5 million naira ($6,400), which are non-refundable.

The issuance of these new banking licenses to Nigeria’s leading telcos follows the release of updated guidelines for the licensing and regulation of payment service banks by the CBN on August 27, 2020.

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