On the 6^th of October, 2025, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued the Guidelines for the Operations of Agent Banking in Nigeria (“The Guidelines”) pursuant to Section 2(d) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, and Section 30(1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.

The new Guidelines consolidate all existing policies on Agent banking, including the Guidelines for the Regulation of Agent Banking and Agent Banking Relationships in Nigeria, 2013 and the Regulatory Framework for Licensing Super Agents in Nigeria 2015 into a single comprehensive document.

While the Guidelines took effect immediately upon release, the full implementation begins on 1^st April 2026. The aim is to strengthen financial inclusion, ensure responsible market conduct, and enhance service quality across the agent banking ecosystem.

This article highlights the key objectives, stakeholders, and some of the compliance obligations introduced under the new Guidelines.