What Is a NUBAN Number?

NUBAN stands for Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the NUBAN standard in 2010 to replace the varying account number formats that different Nigerian banks were using. NUBAN standardised every Nigerian bank account to exactly 10 digits. The first three digits identify the bank: 058 is GTBank, 057 is Zenith Bank, 011 is First Bank, 033 is UBA, 044 is Access Bank. The remaining seven digits identify the individual account within that bank.

NIP (NIBSS Instant Payment) institution codes mirror the NUBAN bank prefix. These 3-digit codes are used to route domestic interbank transfers within Nigeria's real-time payment system. SWIFT codes are separate and are used only for international wire transfers crossing national borders.

Fintechs and Digital Banks: Kuda, OPay, PalmPay, Moniepoint

Kuda, OPay, PalmPay, Moniepoint, Carbon, and FairMoney are licensed as Microfinance Banks (MFBs) by the CBN, not as commercial banks. MFBs are not SWIFT participants. They cannot receive international wire transfers directly. Their 10-digit account numbers are valid for NIP transfers within Nigeria but are not suitable for receiving international wires from abroad.

For the Nigerian diaspora receiving international transfers, the reliable route is a commercial bank account (GTBank, Zenith, Access, UBA, First Bank) with an active SWIFT code. Alternatively, platforms like Grey and Leatherback provide virtual USD/GBP/EUR accounts that convert and credit NGN via NIP.

NUBAN prefix data sourced from CBN licensed institution list and NIBSS NIP directory. Data last updated: January 2025.

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