• Latest
  • Trending
Moniepoint eyes commercial banking license to expand financial services in Nigeria

Moniepoint eyes commercial banking license to expand financial services in Nigeria

November 14, 2024
Call of Duty movie: Paramount, Activision strike deal for live-action adaptation

Call of Duty movie: Paramount, Activision strike deal for live-action adaptation

September 5, 2025
Meta Brings Back Facebook Poke with Emojis and Streaks

Meta Brings Back Facebook Poke with Emojis and Streaks

September 5, 2025
Know why they’re calling: Truecaller launches AI-powered insights

Know why they’re calling: Truecaller launches AI-powered insights

September 5, 2025
Visa harnesses local partnerships to launch Visa Pay in DR Congo

Visa harnesses local partnerships to launch Visa Pay in DR Congo

September 5, 2025
Betika denies recent reports of security breach

Betika denies recent reports of security breach

September 5, 2025
10 things you can actually buy with crypto in Africa

10 things you can actually buy with crypto in Africa

September 5, 2025
CBE seals deal with Botim to enhance remittance services for Ethiopians living in UAE

CBE seals deal with Botim to enhance remittance services for Ethiopians living in UAE

September 5, 2025
Nigeria Senate, SIBAN push for crypto regulation to boost digital economy

Nigeria Senate, SIBAN push for crypto regulation to boost digital economy

September 5, 2025
Mamo Mihretu Resigns as Governor of Ethiopia’s Central Bank

Mamo Mihretu Resigns as Governor of Ethiopia’s Central Bank

September 5, 2025
Paratus Group introduces first private mobile network using LTE and 5G in Namibia

Paratus Group introduces first private mobile network using LTE and 5G in Namibia

September 5, 2025
Your one-stop tech hub! Get the latest updates on AI, cybersecurity, fintech, and emerging technologies.
  • Tech News
    • Africa Tech
    • Global Tech
    • Tech with Pelumy
    • Tech Careers
    • General News
    • How To
    • Reviews
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Fintech
  • Startups
  • Ai
No Result
View All Result
  • Tech News
    • Africa Tech
    • Global Tech
    • Tech with Pelumy
    • Tech Careers
    • General News
    • How To
    • Reviews
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Fintech
  • Startups
  • Ai
No Result
View All Result
Techpression
No Result
View All Result
Home Business Fintech

Moniepoint eyes commercial banking license to expand financial services in Nigeria

Ibukunoluwa Bankole by Ibukunoluwa Bankole
November 14, 2024
146 4
0
Moniepoint eyes commercial banking license to expand financial services in Nigeria

Moniepoint eyes commercial banking license to expand financial services in Nigeria

466
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterWhatsAppTelegram

The latest Nigerian fintech unicorn, Moniepoint, is pursuing a commercial banking license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to broaden its retail banking operations and strengthen its foothold in the financial services market.

While the regulatory approval process could take up to a year, securing the license would mark a significant milestone for the nine-year-old fintech.

A commercial banking license would enable Moniepoint to offer a broader range of services, including foreign currency transactions, treasury operations, and international payments—key revenue drivers for traditional banks. The license would also allow Moniepoint to open physical branches across Nigeria, fostering trust in a banking environment where customers have historically shown scepticism toward financial institutions.

Read also: Moniepoint lands $110M Series C led by DPI, backed by Google

RelatedPosts

Why fintechs like OPay and Moniepoint outpace traditional banks—and lessons from blockchain

Fraud: CBN directs Opay, Moniepoint, PalmPay, others to geo-tag PoS terminals

PremiumTrust meets CBN’s N200bn capital requirement for commercial bank’s license ahead of March 2026 deadline

Positioning to disrupt Nigeria’s banking sector

If successful, Moniepoint would become the first Nigerian fintech to obtain a commercial banking license, gaining a competitive edge over rivals like OPay and Kuda. The move mirrors strategies seen in other emerging markets, such as Latin America, where Nubank expanded its operations by applying for a banking license in Mexico after achieving dominance in Brazil.

Despite being a late entrant to the commercial banking space, Moniepoint’s rapid growth in retail banking, launched in August 2023, positions it to compete effectively. Industry experts rank its customer base second to OPay and ahead of Kuda, which reported 7 million users. Moniepoint’s growth trajectory surpasses newer commercial banks like Globus Bank, which had just 60,000 customers as of 2022.

Regulatory challenges and compliance readiness

Moniepoint began preparations for the license in early 2024, hiring Bayo Olujobi as Chief Financial Officer from Stanbic IBTC to bolster its leadership team. It has since expanded its compliance team, adding more than a dozen employees focused on compliance and fraud monitoring to navigate Nigeria’s increasingly stringent regulatory environment for fintechs.

The fintech’s microfinance license limits its offerings to specific regions and basic financial products. A commercial banking license would remove these restrictions, allowing Moniepoint to expand nationwide and provide high-margin corporate banking, foreign exchange transactions, and treasury operations.

Read also: Dennis Ondeng becomes the new CEO of Kenyan fintech Kopo Kopo

Financial readiness for capital requirements

At $30 million, the capital requirement for a regional commercial banking license is well within Moniepoint’s reach, following its recent $110 million funding round that elevated its valuation to unicorn status. However, meeting additional requirements, including setting up physical branches equipped with strong rooms and banking halls, will be critical to achieving regulatory compliance.

Securing a commercial banking license would enable Moniepoint to compete with Nigeria’s 24 established commercial banks, including market leaders like FirstBank and Zenith. It would also allow the fintech to diversify its revenue streams, increase credibility, and operate within a more structured regulatory framework.

In a market where major banks often prioritize corporate banking over retail, Moniepoint’s fintech-driven approach could reshape Nigeria’s banking sector, offering enhanced services and financial inclusion for underserved populations. If successful, this move would position Moniepoint as a disruptor in Nigeria’s financial services industry, further bridging the gap between traditional banking and fintech innovation.

Tags: CBNMoniepoint
Ibukunoluwa Bankole

Ibukunoluwa Bankole

No Result
View All Result

Quick Links

  • Tech News
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Fintech
  • Startups
  • Business

Follow Us:

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • Twitter(X)
  • Linkedin
  • YouTube
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2025 Techpression.com -Techpression Media Limited

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Tech News
    • Tech Careers
    • Africa Tech News
    • Global Tech News
    • How to
    • Reviews
  • Startups
  • Fintech
  • Cryptocurrency
  • AI
  • Tech Tv
  • Featured

© 2025 Techpression.com -Techpression Media Limited

techpression.com
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

3rd Party Cookies

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.