In an effort to reduce fraud and improve control of digital payments, the Central Bank of Nigeria has mandated that all Point of Sale (PoS) terminals in the nation be geo-tagged within 60 days.
The goal of this project is to guarantee the security of transactions and the traceability of all PoS terminals. In a statement dated August 26, 2025, which our correspondent was able to receive, the CBN stated that non-compliant devices would be terminated and that terminals operating outside of their registered area would be highlighted.
For precise tracking, the directive mandates that all PoS devices, both new and old, include double-frequency GPS receivers and inherent geolocation capabilities. Terminals will no longer be permitted to function if they do not meet the deadline of October 20, 2025.
The bank clarified that the operation will facilitate real-time transaction monitoring and aid in the removal of “ghost” or cloned terminals.
At the beginning of each transaction, each PoS device must record and send its position; any activity that occurs more than 10 meters from the registered merchant address is automatically reported.
Major banks and fintech firms including Moniepoint, OPay, and PalmPay are among the licensed operators who are required to register each terminal with a payment aggregator and supply accurate merchant coordinates.
According to the CBN, the action is a component of a larger strategy to update Nigeria’s payment system, enhance consumer protection, and guarantee the security and complete traceability of digital financial transactions.
