CBN moves to tackle ATM congestion, cash access failures
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to introduce new regulatory rules aimed at reducing ATM congestion and persistent cash shortages across the banking sector.
The policy is expected to improve cash availability, cut frequent system downtime, and restore public confidence in electronic payment channels.
New rules to link debit cards to ATM capacity
CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, disclosed the plan through his Special Adviser, Fatai Karim, at an event held at the weekend.
According to the apex bank, the new framework will align the number of debit cards issued by banks with their deployed ATM infrastructure, addressing the imbalance that has contributed to overcrowded machines and inconsistent cash access.
CBN targets recurring ATM failures
The CBN noted that repeated ATM breakdowns and cash shortages have continued to undermine trust in digital banking, despite the rapid growth of electronic transactions across the financial system.
“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,” Karim said on behalf of the governor.
Improving confidence in digital payments
The apex bank said the planned regulations form part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s payment infrastructure and improve customer experience in the banking sector.
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