AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
Call FCMB on 0700 329 0000 or email customerservice@fcmb.com straight away with the date, amount, wrong account number and reference, and ask the bank to contact the receiving bank. Under the CBN's instant transfer rules a transfer sent in error by the customer can only be returned with the recipient's consent; the receiving bank may place a lien on the funds for up to two weeks while that is sought. Speed matters because the money can be withdrawn.
A wrong transfer usually happens in one of three ways: a mistyped digit that matched a real account, the right number at the wrong bank, or a payment to a scammer. FCMB cannot simply pull money back out of another person's account. What it can do is ask the receiving bank to act, and the CBN's rules on instant transfers set out how that works.
First hour: what to do
- Screenshot the receipt showing date, time, amount, the account number, the name returned and the transaction reference (session ID).
- Call FCMB on 0700 329 0000 (also 0201 279 8800 or 0201 227 2800), the numbers listed for FCMB in TechCabal's May 2026 directory. Say it is a wrong transfer and ask that a recall request be sent to the receiving bank.
- Put it in writing to customerservice@fcmb.com the same day, with the receipt attached. Ask for a complaint reference number.
- Visit your branch if asked to sign an indemnity or a written request. Banks commonly require a signed request before they contact the other bank, because a reversal touches another customer's account.
- If the recipient is someone you know, contact them and ask them to send it back. This is the fastest route of all.
What the CBN rules say
The CBN's Regulation on Instant (Inter-Bank) Electronic Funds Transfer Services, issued in September 2018, separates two cases, as summarised by the law firm G. Elias (Mondaq, July 2025):
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Error by the bank or the system | Can be reversed without the recipient's authorisation. The request should come within 14 working days and the reversal is to be done within one business day. |
| Error by the customer (wrong digits, wrong bank) | Needs the recipient's consent. The receiving bank may place a lien on the amount for a maximum of two weeks while consent is sought. |
| Recipient does not consent | The banks' internal auditors mediate, within two weeks. |
In plain terms: if you made the mistake, getting the money back depends on how quickly the receiving bank freezes it and whether the recipient agrees. That is why calling within minutes, not days, matters. Fraud is treated differently, because banks' fraud desks can block suspected stolen funds.
If it was a scam, not a typo
- Tell FCMB it is fraud, not a mistaken transfer. The fraud route can move faster.
- Report to the police (for a police report you may need later) and keep every message with the scammer.
- Do not send more money to "release" the first payment.
- See common money transfer scams for patterns to watch for.
Timelines and escalation
Ask FCMB for a timeline and a reference number. If the matter is not resolved, the CBN's Consumer Protection Department accepts complaints once you have first complained to the bank. The CBN's complaints page asks you to allow the bank two weeks and then write to the Director, Consumer Protection Department, with your details, the institution, the transaction history, the amount claimed, supporting documents and proof that you reported it to the bank first. Never include your PIN or password. TechCabal lists cpd@cbn.gov.ng as the email.
Worked example
Example only: you send ₦80,000 at 10:05 to an account one digit off. You call FCMB at 10:20, email at 10:30 and sign a request at the branch the next morning. The receiving bank finds ₦80,000 still in the account and places a lien. The recipient agrees to return it and the money comes back, but the transfer fee and the ₦50 stamp duty you paid on the original transfer are not refunded, because the transfer itself was processed correctly. If the recipient had withdrawn ₦50,000 before the lien, only ₦30,000 could be held, and the rest would depend on the recipient's agreement to repay.
If you received money by mistake
The rules cut both ways. If an unknown sum lands in your FCMB account, do not spend it. Your bank may place a lien on it at the sender's bank's request, and the sender can pursue the money through both banks. Tell FCMB, and if a stranger calls asking you to "send it back", return it only through the bank's process: one common scam is to send money, then pressure the recipient to refund it to a different account while the original sender also claims a reversal.
How to avoid a repeat
- Always read the name the system returns before you enter your PIN.
- Save frequent recipients as beneficiaries in the FCMB Mobile app.
- Send ₦100 first to a new account for large payments, and ask the recipient to confirm.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme's send screen shows the recipient's name before you approve. If you use the Personal Assistant, it prepares the payment but nothing moves until you approve it, which gives you a second look at the account details.
Questions people ask
Can FCMB reverse a wrong transfer?
FCMB can ask the receiving bank to act, but if you made the error the CBN rules require the recipient's consent. The receiving bank can place a lien for up to two weeks while that is sought.
How long does it take to reverse a wrong transfer in Nigeria?
For bank or system errors the CBN rule is reversal within one business day of a request made within 14 working days. Customer errors depend on the recipient's consent, with lien and mediation periods of up to two weeks each.
What is the FCMB number to report wrong transfer?
0700 329 0000, 0201 279 8800 or 0201 227 2800, and email customerservice@fcmb.com, as listed by TechCabal in May 2026.
What if the person refuses to return my money?
The banks' internal auditors mediate. If FCMB does not resolve your complaint, escalate to the CBN Consumer Protection Department, and consider legal advice for large sums.
Sources
- Mondaq (G. Elias): Reversing mistaken transfers under the CBN Instant EFT regulation (8 Jul 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN: Consumer complaints management · accessed Oct 2026
- TechCabal: Customer care numbers for banks and fintechs in Nigeria (May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Techeconomy: Stamp duty replaces EMTL, sender to bear N50 charge (1 Jan 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.