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Finance · Nigeria

Obtain a payment service (fintech) licence (CBN)

License a payment company with the CBN: choose category (Switching, MMO, PSSP, PTSP, Super-Agent) → deposit capital & apply → Approval-in-Principle → final licence.

4
steps
1
agency involved
Who you will deal with
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
The steps
  1. 1Choose the PSP category
    Agency
    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
    What is required
    Categories & capital: Switching & Processing ₦2bn; Mobile Money Operator (MMO) ₦2bn (only MMOs may hold customer funds); Payment Solution Service Provider (PSSP) ₦100m; Payment Terminal Service Provider (PTSP) ₦100m; Super-Agent.
    Documents
    Chosen category; business model
    Typical timeline
    Selection
  2. 2Deposit capital and apply
    Agency
    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
    What is required
    Deposit the category minimum with the CBN before the application (e.g. PSSP/PTSP ₦100m; Switching/MMO ₦2bn) and incorporate with matching objects.
    Documents
    Capital deposit; incorporation; application
    Typical timeline
    Application stage
  3. 3Approval-in-Principle
    Agency
    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
    What is required
    The CBN reviews the application and grants Approval-in-Principle.
    Documents
    Complete application; fit-and-proper management
    Typical timeline
    AIP phase
  4. 4Final licence
    Agency
    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
    What is required
    Satisfy conditions, integrations and inspection; the CBN grants the final PSP licence.
    Documents
    Met conditions; systems integration
    Typical timeline
    On approval

Primary source: https://www.cbn.gov.ng/PaymentsSystem/PSPs.html · confidence: high

Also in finance
Obtain a Bureau de Change licence (CBN)Obtain a Pension Fund Administrator licence (PENCOM)Obtain a commercial/merchant bank licence (CBN)Obtain a microfinance bank licence (CBN)Obtain a money lender's licence (state)Obtain a super-agent (agent banking) licence (CBN)

The numbers behind the decision

Knowing the process is half of it. ONYX also tracks the operating environment you are entering — daily grid generation, official FX, state-level input prices and inflation, and sector output — each figure source-linked and dated.

ONYX publishes what the responsible agencies publish, with a link to each source. Requirements, fees and timelines change, and an officer's reading of a rule can differ from the published text. Verify against the linked source before you commit money — this is reference information, not legal advice.

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