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The short answer
Fidelity Bank's own FAQ lists transfer fees of ₦10 up to ₦5,000, ₦25 from ₦5,001 to ₦50,000 and ₦50 above ₦50,000 (stated for corporate online banking), which match the CBN's 2020 bands. A naira debit card costs ₦1,075 to issue and ₦53.75 a quarter to maintain, both VAT inclusive, and since 1 January 2026 a ₦50 stamp duty is taken from the sender on transfers of ₦10,000 or more. Fidelity does not publish a per-message SMS alert fee; the CBN allows cost recovery only.
The short version
Most Fidelity Bank charges sit inside limits set by the Central Bank of Nigeria's Guide to Charges, which has applied to banks since 1 January 2020. Fidelity's help centre publishes some of its own figures, and where it does, they line up with the CBN ceilings. Where it does not, the bank's terms say charges follow its 'standard scale of charges', copies of which are available on request. The table below shows what we could confirm on Fidelity's and the CBN's own pages as at October 2026.
| Charge | Figure published | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer to another bank, ₦1 to ₦5,000 | ₦10 | Fidelity FAQ (corporate online banking); CBN 2020 band |
| Transfer, ₦5,001 to ₦50,000 | ₦25 | Fidelity FAQ; CBN 2020 band |
| Transfer above ₦50,000 | ₦50 | Fidelity FAQ; CBN 2020 band |
| Stamp duty on transfers of ₦10,000 or more | ₦50, paid by the sender | Nigeria Tax Act 2025, from 1 Jan 2026 |
| Naira debit card issuance | ₦1,075 (VAT inclusive) | Fidelity FAQ |
| Naira card maintenance | ₦53.75 a quarter (VAT inclusive) | Fidelity FAQ |
| Dollar card issuance | ₦1,075, debited from the naira account | Fidelity FAQ |
| Dollar card maintenance | $10 a year | Fidelity FAQ |
| Virtual card | Free | Fidelity FAQ |
| SMS alerts | Cost recovery; no per-message figure published | CBN Guide to Charges; Fidelity terms |
Transfer fees and why the bands matter
Fidelity's FAQ lists the transfer fee bands under its corporate online banking section: ₦10 for ₦1 to ₦5,000, ₦25 for ₦5,001 to ₦50,000 and ₦50 above ₦50,000. These are the same bands the CBN's 2020 Guide to Charges sets as the maximum for electronic transfers, and the Guide also says USSD transfers attract the prevailing NIP (NIBSS Instant Payment) charges, so the same bands apply when you send from *770#. Fidelity's FAQ does not separately list fees for its personal mobile app, so confirm the charge on the transfer confirmation screen before you approve.
Receiving money does not attract the transfer fee, which is charged to the sender. The fee also does not change with the time of day or the recipient's bank; it depends only on the amount in a single transfer.
Stamp duty: the ₦50 that replaced the EMTL
From 1 January 2026, under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the Electronic Money Transfer Levy was replaced by a flat ₦50 stamp duty on electronic transfers of ₦10,000 or more. Reports of the change say the charge now comes from the sender, not the receiver, and is taken once per qualifying transfer. Transfers below ₦10,000, salary payments and transfers between your own accounts at the same bank are reported as exempt. Our guide to stamp duty rates in Nigeria sets out the wider schedule.
Worked example: one transfer, two charges
Example only, using the published bands. You send ₦60,000 from your Fidelity account to a friend at another bank.
- Transfer fee (above ₦50,000 band): ₦50
- Stamp duty (₦10,000 or more): ₦50
- Total charges: ₦100, so ₦60,100 leaves your account
Split the same ₦60,000 into two ₦30,000 transfers and you pay ₦25 + ₦25 in fees plus ₦50 + ₦50 in stamp duty: ₦150 in total. Splitting does not save money.
Card fees: issuance, upkeep and use abroad
Fidelity's FAQ gives ₦1,075 as the naira card issuance fee, which is ₦1,000 plus 7.5% VAT, and ₦53.75 as the quarterly maintenance fee, which is ₦50 plus VAT. Over a year that maintenance comes to ₦215 (₦53.75 × 4). The CBN Guide sets ₦1,000 as the issuance ceiling and allows maintenance of up to ₦50 a quarter on cards linked to savings accounts, while waiving it for cards on current accounts, so check which account your card is attached to.
The dollar card costs ₦1,075 to issue and $10 a year to maintain. Fidelity's FAQ adds a 2% charge on dollar-to-dollar transactions and 3% where the dollar card is used in another currency, and notes that ATM owners abroad may add their own fee. The free virtual card has a ₦200,000 daily limit and, per the FAQ, a $100 monthly international limit. Our guide to Fidelity's dollar card and limits abroad covers the spending side.
SMS alerts: what you can and cannot find
The CBN Guide makes SMS alerts mandatory and allows banks to recover only their cost for customer-induced transactions, with no charge for alerts the bank itself triggers. Email alerts are free under the Guide. Fidelity's account terms authorise the bank to debit your account for the cost of its SMS alert service, but neither its FAQ nor its terms state a per-message figure as at October 2026.
- Look at your statement for lines labelled SMS or alert charge, usually posted monthly.
- Ask Trueserve, Fidelity's contact centre, on 0700 343 35489 or WhatsApp 0903 000 5252 for the current per-alert cost.
- If you rely on the app for notifications, Fidelity lists *770*2# as the code to opt out of alert subscription. Check first whether any account on your profile still needs SMS, for example for USSD services.
What to check first
- Your account type: maintenance rules differ for savings and current accounts.
- The confirmation screen: the fee shown there is what the bank will take.
- Your statement each month: every charge should appear as a separate line.
- If a charge looks wrong, raise it with Fidelity first, then use the CBN Consumer Protection Department route if it is not resolved.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account shows the fee for each transfer on its own line before you approve, and the send page explains how. If you also hold foreign currency, Swap shows the rate first and the fee separately. Fidelity's charges stay as they are; the point is simply to see each one before money moves.
Questions people ask
How much does Fidelity Bank charge for transfers to other banks?
Fidelity's FAQ lists ₦10 up to ₦5,000, ₦25 from ₦5,001 to ₦50,000 and ₦50 above ₦50,000, matching the CBN's 2020 bands. Stamp duty of ₦50 is added for the sender on transfers of ₦10,000 or more.
How much is Fidelity Bank SMS alert charge per month?
Fidelity does not publish a per-message figure. The CBN allows cost recovery only, so check your monthly statement or ask Trueserve for the current rate.
What is the Fidelity Bank card maintenance fee?
₦53.75 a quarter including VAT for a naira card, per Fidelity's FAQ, and $10 a year for a dollar card.
Why was ₦50 deducted from my Fidelity transfer?
Since 1 January 2026 a ₦50 stamp duty applies to electronic transfers of ₦10,000 or more and is taken from the sender. It sits alongside, not instead of, the transfer fee.
Sources
- Fidelity Bank: Help and support FAQs · accessed Oct 2026
- Fidelity Bank: Account and channel terms and conditions · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN: Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (effective 1 Jan 2020) · accessed Oct 2026
- Techeconomy: Stamp duty replaces EMTL, sender to bear ₦50 charge on bank transfers (1 Jan 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- TechCabal: CBN exposure draft of a new Guide to Charges (Apr 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.