2024-03-01
The National Bank of Angola issues Instruction No. 02/2024 to establish comprehensive rules for cash withdrawal operations at Automated Payment Terminals (TPAs), specifying that commercial banks and merchants must implement a service where purchase-linked withdrawals are commission-free while standalone withdrawals incur a 2.5% fee (minimum Kz 100). The directive mandates strict authorization protocols, requires merchants to guarantee the authenticity and quality of dispensed banknotes, and obliges banks to activate the service within 30 business days. Furthermore, it repeals prior regulations, assigns dispute resolution to the central bank, and subjects non-compliance to sanctions under Angola's Payment System and Financial Institutions laws.
INSTRUCTION NO. 02/2024 Of March 1 SUBJECT: PAYMENT SYSTEM
Whereas there is a need to improve the cash dispensation service through the Cash Withdrawal Service at Automated Payment Terminal and to adjust the rules and procedures inherent to the provision of this service; Pursuant to the combined provisions of item d) of paragraph 1 of Article 6 of Law No. 40/20 of December 16 – Payment System Law of Angola, and paragraph 1 of Article 98 of Law No. 24/21, of October 18 – Law of the National Bank of Angola. I HEREBY DETERMINE:
Object This Instruction establishes the rules applicable to cash withdrawal operations at Automated Payment Terminal, hereinafter abbreviated as (TPA).
Scope This Instruction applies to: a) Commercial Banks participating in the Multicaixa System, as issuers of cards accepted on the TPA Network and Support Banks for TPAs; and b) Merchants who have contracted a TPA.
Definitions For the purposes of this Instruction, the following terms are understood as: a) Acquirer – entity that accepts payment for goods and/or services with a payment card or without a card, but using a 10 (Ten) digit reference and a secret code provided via Multicaixa Express, ATM or Homebanking, and which enters into a contract with a commercial bank to perform this service. b) Merchant Support Bank / Terminal Support Bank – commercial bank where the merchant's account is domiciled, into which payment operations resulting from TPA usage are posted. c) Card Issuing Bank / Issuer – commercial bank that issues payment cards. d) Payment Card or Card – payment instrument, in the form of a plastic card provided by an issuing commercial bank (the issuer), which enables its holder to conduct financial transactions, including payments for the purchase of goods and services, as well as cash withdrawals, at terminals where it is accepted. e) Merchant – any entity that meets the conditions to be a card acquirer. f) Service Commission – commission paid by the cardholder for each cash withdrawal at a TPA. g) EMIS – Interbank Services Company, the managing entity of the Multicaixa Arrangement. h) Automated Payment Terminal (TPA) – electromechanical equipment or software application that enables customers holding valid payment cards or possessing a valid 10 (Ten) digit reference and secret code to make payments for the purchase of goods and services, as well as cash withdrawals.
Cash Withdrawal Service at TPA 4.1. The Cash Withdrawal Service at TPA comprises three types of operations: a) Purchase with cash withdrawal at TPA; b) Cash withdrawal with card at TPA; and c) Cash withdrawal without card at TPA.
4.2. The operations referred to in subpoint 4.1 may be carried out through: a) Presentation of the card; and b) Use of the 10 (Ten) digit reference and secret code obtained via a prior request made in Multicaixa Express, ATM or Homebanking.
Commissions 5.1. In purchase-with-cash-withdrawal operations at TPA, with or without a card, no commission is charged to the customer for the withdrawal service. 5.2. In TPA cash withdrawal operations not associated with a purchase, with or without a card, a service commission of 2.5% (Two Point Five Percent) of the withdrawal amount is charged to the customer, with a minimum of Kz 100.00 (One Hundred Kwanzas), which shall be automatically transferred to the merchant's bank account. 5.3. The service commission is charged automatically by the system during withdrawal processing, and the operation value shall be the total withdrawal amount plus the commission; merchants may not add the commission amount at the time of processing the operation on the TPA. 5.4. Merchants are prohibited from charging any other commissions to customers for cash withdrawal operations at TPAs.
Operation Authorization 6.1. For purchase-with-cash-withdrawal, the Issuing Bank authorizes the operation for the total amount (purchase and withdrawal), and may not authorize only the amount related to the purchase or the withdrawal alone. 6.2. For cash withdrawal with or without a card at TPA, the Issuing Bank authorizes or declines the operation based on the customer's available account funds, which must cover both the withdrawal amount and the commission to be charged to the customer.
TPA Operation Receipts Merchants must provide customers who perform cash withdrawal operations at TPAs with the operation receipt issued by the TPA.
Refunds A refund may only be processed for the amount related to a purchase of goods or services; refunds cannot be issued against a withdrawal, regardless of whether the withdrawal was conducted together with a purchase.
Merchant Contracting to Make Operations Described in This Instruction Available 9.1. The operations described in this Instruction are activated on merchants' TPAs by Commercial Banks that provide the TPAs, upon execution of an acceptance contract. 9.2. The Cash Withdrawal Service at TPA is governed by a Service Manual issued by EMIS. 9.3. The acceptance contracts executed between merchants and Commercial Banks must stipulate, among other things, the following: a) The obligation of merchants providing the Cash Withdrawal Service at TPA to ensure the authenticity and quality of banknotes delivered to customers, being prohibited from delivering counterfeit or worn notes; when received by merchants, such notes must be immediately reported to the competent authority or deposited in a commercial bank, as applicable. b) The obligation of Commercial Banks to ensure that merchants have sufficient information to detect counterfeit notes. c) The right of Commercial Banks to impose additional measures to ensure merchants verify the authenticity of notes, based on withdrawal volumes at each commercial establishment. d) The obligation of Commercial Banks to inform merchants of the parameters applied to determine worn notes that are unfit for circulation, which must accordingly be deposited or exchanged at a commercial bank. e) The obligation to display in commercial establishments, in a visible location, information informing the public about the availability of the Cash Withdrawal Service at TPA at their establishment; EMIS shall support Banks in providing merchants with the necessary materials for this purpose.
Service Activation Banks have a period of up to 30 (thirty) business days to make the Cash Withdrawal Service at TPA available to their merchant customers, from the date of request.
Non-Compliance Failure to comply with the provisions of this Instruction is subject to sanctions provided for in Law No. 40/20, of December 16 – Payment System Law of Angola, and in Law No. 14/21, of May 19 – General Regime Law for Financial Institutions.
Repeal Instruction No. 12/21, of September 14, on Cash Withdrawal at Automated Payment Terminal, and all regulations contrary to the provisions of this Instruction, are hereby repealed.
Doubts and Omissions Doubts and omissions arising from the interpretation and application of this Instruction shall be resolved by the National Bank of Angola.
Entry into Force This Instruction enters into force on the date of its publication.
PUBLISHED. Luanda, March 1, 2024.
THE GOVERNOR MANUEL ANTÓNIO TIAGO DIAS