Nigerians Return to ATMs as PoS Transactions Slide 20% in Q1 2026
Central Bank data shows ATM transaction volumes and values rising while Point-of-Sale usage declined year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026.
AfroEuropa Newsroom
AfroEuropa desk
Automated Teller Machines are regaining ground in Nigeria's cash-access network after years of being displaced by Point-of-Sale (PoS) agents, according to data published by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In the first quarter of 2026, Nigerians completed 438.6 million ATM transactions, a 6.6% increase compared with the same period a year earlier, TechCabal reported. The value of those transactions climbed 64.6% year-on-year to ₦26.3 trillion, equivalent to about $19.4 billion.
PoS activity moved in the opposite direction. Transaction volumes dropped 19.9% year-on-year to 2.92 billion, while their combined value fell 16.4% to ₦59.3 trillion, or roughly $43.7 billion.
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