Nigeria’s payment regulations have moved quickly in 2026, and fintech companies that treated compliance as a one time exercise are already falling behind. Between March and August, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued or proposed measures on anti-money laundering systems, market concentration in card issuing and merchant acquiring, data localisation, beneficial ownership and the ring-fencing of closely linked entities. Some are final circulars with firm deadlines; others are still in draft. Payment platforms need to know which is which, and plan accordingly