CBN Plans New Debit Card Rules to End ATM Congestion
CBN Plans New Debit Card Rules to End ATM Congestion
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to introduce a new regulatory policy aimed at sanitising debit card issuance and ATM operations across the country.
The move is part of the apex bank’s efforts to address persistent challenges faced by bank customers in accessing cash and to improve the overall efficiency of the nation’s electronic payment system.
The announcement was made by the CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso, through his Special Adviser, Fatai Karim, during the 2026 Committee of Heads of Bank Operations Conference held on Friday. According to the regulator, the upcoming policy will focus on ensuring that the volume of debit cards issued by commercial banks is commensurate with the number of ATMs they have deployed and maintained.
The CBN expressed concern that the current imbalance between card issuance and infrastructure leads to significant congestion at ATM galleries and frequent machine downtime.
By regulating this ratio, the bank aims to reduce the frustrations of Nigerians who often encounter non-functional machines or long queues, thereby ensuring a more even distribution of cash across the banking sector.
Highlighting the importance of trust in the financial sector, the apex bank noted that recurring failures in cash access have a direct impact on the public’s perception of the banking industry.
The regulator emphasized that the reliability of ATMs is crucial for maintaining confidence in electronic payment channels, especially as the country continues to drive its digital transaction agenda.
The CBN stated: “Very soon, the Central Bank will be coming up with another policy to sanitise and improve the situation, particularly around how many cards banks issue relative to the number of ATMs they support. When cash access fails, whether due to prolonged ATM outages or uneven distribution, the credibility of the entire payment system is weakened.”
The policy is expected to take effect within a few months, with the CBN currently engaging industry stakeholders to finalize the operational guidelines.
This latest intervention follows previous efforts by the bank to monitor the cash lifecycle from production to distribution and underscores its commitment to enforcing sanctions on banks that fail to provide adequate service to their customers.
