The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a sweeping directive mandating that all Point of Sale (PoS) terminals across the country be geo-tagged within the next 60 days.
In a circular dated August 26, 2025, the apex bank said the policy is part of a broader strategy to curb fraud, strengthen regulatory oversight of digital payments, and modernize Nigeria’s fast-growing payment ecosystem.
“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 CBN stated.
The move is expected to stamp out the rising menace of “ghost” and cloned terminals while enabling real-time monitoring of transactions nationwide.
According to the new directive, all newly deployed PoS devices must now come equipped with native geolocation features and double-frequency GPS receivers for precise location tracking. Existing terminals must be geo-tagged before the October 20, 2025, deadline — or risk being permanently shut down.
The framework requires every PoS device to capture and transmit its coordinates at the start of each transaction. Any activity conducted beyond a 10-meter radius of the registered merchant’s address will be automatically flagged for review.
Licensed operators — including major banks and fintech giants such as Moniepoint, OPay, and PalmPay — are now required to register all terminals through authorized payment aggregators and provide exact merchant coordinates for compliance.
The CBN says the initiative will not only enhance consumer protection but also ensure that Nigeria’s digital financial infrastructure remains secure, transparent, and globally competitive.
