CBN Mandates Geotagging of 4.2 Million PoS Terminals Within 60 Days to Fight Fraud

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a directive mandating that all 4.2 million active Point of Sale (PoS) terminals across the country be geotagged within 60 days, starting from August 25, 2025. The move aims to curb fraud and improve the tracking of electronic transactions.

Under the new policy, operators including Moniepoint, OPay, and PalmPay are required to register every PoS terminal with precise GPS coordinates.

Furthermore, all terminals must be linked to the National Central Switch to ensure centralized monitoring. The CBN has stipulated that transactions carried out on PoS devices must occur within a 10-meter radius of the registered geolocation.

Terminals that fail to comply with the geotagging requirement or conduct transactions outside the allowed radius face deactivation beginning October 20, 2025.

While the CBN asserts that this measure will enhance security and transparency in Nigeria’s digital payment landscape critics have raised concerns over the tight implementation timeline and the existing infrastructure challenges.

Some warn that the directive could disrupt business operations and negatively affect financial inclusion cautioning that the move risks repeating the disruptions experienced during the 2022 naira redesign exercise.

The CBN has urged all stakeholders to cooperate to ensure a smooth transition and has promised to provide support where necessary to facilitate compliance.