Nigerian Banks Reactivate International Spending on Naira Debit Cards After Three-Year Suspension

Several Nigerian commercial banks have resumed international transactions on Naira-denominated debit cards, allowing customers to once agai...

Several Nigerian commercial banks have resumed international transactions on Naira-denominated debit cards, allowing customers to once again make payments on global platforms after nearly three years of suspension.

The move marks a significant step toward easing everyday banking for Nigerians who, since 2022, had been unable to use their Naira cards for services like Apple subscriptions, Twitter Premium, Netflix, and other international payments. The restrictions were initially put in place amid persistent foreign exchange (FX) pressures, dollar shortages, and rising demand in the lead-up to the 2023 general elections.

Leading Tier-1 banks such as Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Access Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, and Ecobank had all suspended international card transactions during that time. Now, some of them, including GTBank, Wema Bank, and UBA, have confirmed the reactivation of international spending on their Naira cards.

In an email sent to customers on Friday, GTBank stated: “Dear customer, we are pleased to inform you that you now have a quarterly limit of $1,000 on your GTBank Naira Card to pay for all your favourite things anywhere in the world.”

The bank clarified that this limit applies across online, point-of-sale (POS), and ATM transactions outside Nigeria. Of the $1,000 quarterly limit, up to $500 can be withdrawn from ATMs.

UBA also shared that its Premium Naira Cards, including Gold, Platinum, and World variants, have been re-enabled for global use. “You can now use your Premium Naira Card for everyday payments, online shopping, PoS, and ATM transactions across the world, with more ease and flexibility,” UBA said in a message to customers.

Wema Bank similarly confirmed that its Naira Mastercard, Visa, and ALAT cards now support international transactions. “Your Wema Naira Mastercard just went global! Now you can pay in dollars on all your favourite international platforms; Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Netflix, Spotify, YouTube,” the bank wrote.

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