2015-08-03 | BPS/DIR/GEN/CIR/02/007

Sanctions on Erring Banks/e-Payment Service Providers for Infractions of Payments System Rules and Regulations

The Central Bank of Nigeria outlines sanctions for banks and payment system service providers that violate guidelines, circulars, rules, and regulations related to electronic payment systems. These sanctions include fines, penalties, and full liability for any fraud that occurs due to non-compliance. The bank also reserves the right to close down operations and prosecute offenders in certain cases.

BANKING AND PAYMENTS SYSTEM DEPARTMENT BPS/DIR/GEN/CIR/02/007 CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA Central Business District P.M.B. 0187, Garki, Abuja.

+234 - 0946238445 July 29, 2015 TO: ALL DEPOSIT MONEY BANKS, MICROFINANCE BANKS AND PRIMARY MORTGAGE INSTITUTIONS, MOBILE MONEY OPERATIONS, SWITCHES AND OTHER PAYMENTS SYSTEM SERVICE PROVIDERS SANCTIONS ON ERRING BANKS/e-PAYMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR INFRACTIONS OF PAYMENTS SYSTEM RULES AND REGULATION Further to the provisions of S.47 (3) of the CBN Act 2007, requiring the Central Bank of Nigeria to "prescribe rules and regulations for the efficient operations of clearing and settlement systems", the Bank hereby stipulates the following applicable sanctions to erring banks and payments system service providers for infringements of extant Guidelines, Circulars, Rules and Regulations issued by the Bank on all forms of electronic payments system:

  1. ATM
S/No.INFRACTIONSPENALTY
1.Non-compliance with PaymentN250,000 as fine and a follow-up of penalty charge of N50,000
Card Industry Data Securityper week, for as long as non-compliance persists
Standards (PCIDSS).
2.Non-compliance of ATMN200,000 as fine and additional penalty charge of N50,000 per
terminals with EMV level 1 & 2week, for as long as non-compliance persists
3.Non-compliance withN250,000 as fine and penal charge of N50,000 per week, for as
migration to EMV afterlong as non-compliance persists
September 30, 2010
4.Failure to provide audit trailsFine of N50,000 with a full refund to the customer
and journals for ATM
transactions
5.Failure to have 2% of ATMsFine of N100,000
deployed with tactile graphic
symbol for the use of visually
impaired customers
6.Down time of ATM for moreFine of N100,000
than 72 hours without cogent
reasons
7.Non availability or nen-Fine of N100,000 and penal charge of N50,000 per week, for
functional help desk contactsas long as non-compliance exists
8.Non-disclosure of ATMFine of N50,000 daily
S/No.
1.
S/No.INFRACTIONSPENALTY
surcharge to customers
9.Lack of online monitoringPenal fee of N100,000, with immediate compliance. Graduated
mechanism for ATMsfine of at least N150,000, if exception is picked again
10Lack of back-up powerPenal fee of N50,000, with immediate compliance. Graduated
(inverter) for ATMfine of at least N100,000 per week, if exception is picked again
11Failure to have camera atPenal fee of N250,000 and a follow-up charge of N50,000 per
ATMday, until a camera is installed
12Failure to provide footages onThe bank would pay a penalty equal to the amount refunded, to
ATM transactions whenserve as a deterrent
required
13Failure to respond to theFine of N100,000 per day
customer/CBN on ATM
complaints within 72 hours
14Failure of Acquirer to initiateThe bank to refund the total amount involved in the dispute and
automatic reversal of faileda penal fine of N50,000 per day
customer ATM transaction

2. Transaction Switching Services

S/No.INFRACTIONPENALTY
1.Failure to apply funds to customer'sPenalty stipulated on the "Guidelines on Electronic Payments
account within stipulated timelinesof Salaries, Pensions, Suppliers and Taxes in Nigeria" applies
on the Guidelines on Electronic
Payments of Salaries, Pensions,
Suppliers and Taxes in Nigeria
2.Non return of unapplied funds withinPenalty stipulated on the "Guidelines on Electronic Payments
24 hoursof Salaries, Pensions, Suppliers and Taxes in Nigeria" applies
3.Non-compliance with third party10% of the amount in excess of limit or N100,000, whichever is
cheque cap of N150,000 OTChigher
withdrawal
S/No.INFRACTIONPENALTY
1.Issuance of Mag-stripe cardsBank to be fully liable for any fraud arising from the use of the card
2.Enabling use of Mag-stripe ofBank to be fully liable for any fraud arising from the use of the card
Nigerian issued cards in non2
INFRACTIONPENALTY
AnyinfractionoftheInitial fine of N100,000 and full liability for compromise due to non-
Guidelinescompliance

3. Bulk Payments And Ach 4. Card Issuance (Stored Value/Prepaid Cards And Debit Cards)

S/No.INFRACTIONPENALTY
EMVenvironment without
customer's request
3.Issuance of Card withoutBank to be fully liable for any fraud arising from the use of the card
application from Account
holder
4.Card fraud on an AccountBank to be fully liable for any fraud arising from the use of the card.
while card is still in custodyDisciplinary action on the bank staff found culpable.
of bank
5.Card frauds that exceed theBank to be fully liable for amount of fraud involved
limit set on the card by the
card holder
6Card fraud on CorporateBank to be fully liable for amount of fraud involved
Accounts
7Card Issuance without properBank to be fully liable for amount of fraud involved
KYC
8Loading of Cash on CardsBank to be fully liable for amount of fraud involved
without proper KYC
S/No.INFRACTIONPENALTY
1.Fraud arising from non-compliance withScheme operator liable for amount above set limit
transaction value limit
2.Lack of inter-operability andDirective to operator to disable the PoS
interconnectivity to other systems
INFRACTIONPENALTY
Late submission of monthly returnsFine of N50,000 per day of delay.
S/No.INFRACTIONPENALTY
1.e-paymentoperationswithoutClose down of the operations and prosecution of the offender
obtaining CBN approval or license(individual/company promoters)
2.Patronage of unlicensed paymentFine of N50,000 per day of continued patronage.
system operator by a Bank
3.Non-compliance with any otherFine of N50,000 per week of non-compliance and full liability for
CBNe-paymentdirectiveorany fraud arising from non-compliance
circular
S/No.
1.

5. Point-Of Sale (Pos) 6. Rendition Of Returns 7. Others

Non Monetary Sanctions For Violator Of Regulations

  1. Name and shame of responsible officers and the entity 2.

Blacklisting of operator or service providers 3.

Removal from office of principal officers of operators and service providers 'Dipo Fatokun Director, Banking and Payments System Department 4

Tags
payments
enforcement
operational
infrastructure
fintech