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CBN sets October 20 deadline for PoS terminal geo-tagging

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed that all Point of Sale (PoS) terminals in the country be geo-tagged within 60 days to enhance security and oversight of digital payments.
This initiative aimed to eliminate “ghost” or cloned terminals, enable real-time transaction monitoring, and ensure that digital financial transactions are secure and fully traceable.

In a statement dated August 26, 2025, CBN said the move was part of measures to curb fraud and strengthen oversight of digital payments.

It reads in part: “‘It is also part of a broader plan to modernise Nigeria’s payment system, improve consumer protection, and ensure that digital financial transactions are secure and fully traceable.

“This initiative is designed to ensure that all PoS terminals are traceable and that transactions are secure. Terminals operating outside their registered location will be flagged, and non-compliant devices will be deactivated, ” the statement said

The bank explained that the move wi help eliminate “ghost” or cloned terminals and enable real-time monitoring of transactions.

Newly deployed PoS devices will now have native geolocation features and double-frequency GPS receivers for accurate tracking. Terminals failing to comply with the October 20, 2025, deadline will no longer be allowed to operate.

Each PoS device must capture and transmit its location at the start of every transaction, with activity beyond a 10-meter radius of the registered merchant address automatically flagged.

Licensed operators, including major banks and fintech companies like Moniepoint, OPay, and PalmPay, are expected to register each terminal with a payment aggregator and provide precise merchant coordinate.

 Terminals failing to comply with the directive by the October 20, 2025 deadline would no longer be allowed to operate.
The CBN aimed to modernize Nigeria’s payment system, improve consumer protection, and ensure the integrity and traceability of digital financial transactions ².
Merchants may need to adjust their business models to accommodate the geo-tagging requirement, especially those in sectors like transportation or logistics that rely on flexible device locations.
Operators, including Payment Terminal Service Providers (PTSPs) and mobile money companies, woulf  be held accountable for ensuring compliance across their networks.

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