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The short answer
Make at least one customer-initiated transaction, such as a transfer or bill payment, every few months. Banks set their own clock: GTBank marks an account inactive after six months without a customer-initiated transaction and dormant after one year, and Zenith says current accounts go dormant after six months. Under CBN guidelines, balances left untouched for ten years or more are transferred to the CBN, though they can still be reclaimed.
A Nigerian account you rarely touch from Ireland can quietly stop working: transfers fail, the card is refused, and the app asks you to visit a branch. That is dormancy, and it is avoidable. Here is how the rules work and what to do if it has already happened.
Inactive, dormant and unclaimed
Three stages matter, and banks name and time them differently.
- Inactive
- No customer-initiated activity for a period set by the bank. At GTBank this is six months; any transfer by app, internet banking or 737, or a cash or cheque transaction, reactivates it.
- Dormant
- A longer gap, after which the bank restricts the account until you complete a reactivation process. GTBank uses one year; Zenith and Fidelity say current accounts become dormant after six months of inactivity, and Zenith says savings accounts do not go dormant.
- Unclaimed balance
- Under the CBN guidelines issued on 19 July 2024, as GTBank and FirstBank explain on their own pages, accounts inactive for ten years or more are transferred to the CBN. The money is not lost: it can be reclaimed through the bank.
Interest credits, bank charges and other bank-initiated entries do not usually count as activity; what counts is something you do. The full Nigerian rules are summarised in dormant accounts and unclaimed balances in Nigeria.
Simple ways to keep the account active from Ireland
- A small regular transfer. Send a small amount to a family member or to your own account at another bank every few months.
- Pay a bill from the account. Airtime, data or a family electricity token bought in the app is a customer-initiated transaction.
- Receive and move money. If rent or family money comes in, move part of it yourself rather than leaving it to sit.
- Set a calendar reminder well inside the shortest period your bank uses. If you do not know it, assume six months.
Keep the tools that let you act: the mobile app, a working token or authenticator, and access to the phone number on the profile. If the bank sends codes to a Nigerian SIM, keep that number alive; MTN's Keep My Number, for example, costs ₦3,500 for one year according to its page, checked October 2026.
If the account is already dormant
Reactivation means proving it is you and that your details are current. GTBank's reactivation page sets out a route for non-resident customers: a signed reactivation form, a notarised utility bill or stamped bank statement from the last three months, and a valid Nigerian ID or a notarised foreign ID with an expired Nigerian ID, sent to the bank's non-resident account email. GTBank says there is no charge, and the CBN's Guide to Charges lists reactivation of dormant accounts as free.
- Contact the bank through its official app, website or published email and ask for its reactivation requirements for customers abroad.
- Gather ID, proof of address in Ireland and a recent photo if asked.
- Have documents notarised in Ireland if the bank requires it; see using an Irish notary for Nigerian documents.
- Check your BVN details match the account, because mismatches slow reactivation.
- Once reactivated, make a transaction straight away and set your reminder.
If the balance has gone to the CBN
FirstBank's dormant account page describes the reclaim route: complete an asset reclaim form, provide evidence of ownership, valid ID, proof of current residence and an affidavit. The bank verifies and sends the claim to the CBN within ten working days, and the CBN refunds through the bank within a further ten working days. Lists of affected accounts are published on the bank's and the CBN's websites.
If someone at home helps with the account
Some people ask a parent or sibling to use the account for them. Sharing your PIN, password or token breaks most banks' terms and leaves you exposed if something goes wrong. If someone else needs to operate the account, ask the bank about a formal mandate, or set up a power of attorney; the Irish side of signing one is covered in signing a Nigerian power of attorney in Ireland. A simpler option is to keep control yourself and send money to the family member's own account when they need it, which also counts as activity on your account.
Should you keep the account at all?
A Nigerian account is useful for receiving rent, paying school fees or helping family. If you no longer need it, closing it properly avoids future problems; the CBN's Guide to Charges lists account closure as free. If you keep it, keep it working.
Where Pryme fits
Some Nigerians abroad keep a single naira account they actually use. A Pryme personal account, which can be opened from Ireland, holds NGN alongside EUR, USD and GBP; naira deposits are held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank. You can pay bills and send to Nigerian banks from the same app, and the Personal Assistant can remind you of regular payments, which only move when you approve them.
Questions people ask
How long before a Nigerian account becomes dormant?
It depends on the bank. GTBank uses six months for inactive and one year for dormant; Zenith and Fidelity say current accounts go dormant after six months.
Can I reactivate a dormant Nigerian account from Ireland?
Often yes. GTBank, for example, accepts a signed form and notarised documents by email from non-resident customers. Ask your bank for its route.
Does receiving money keep the account active?
Not reliably. Banks look for customer-initiated activity, so make a transfer or payment yourself.
Is money in a dormant account lost?
No. After ten years of inactivity it is moved to the CBN under the 2024 guidelines, and you can reclaim it through your bank.
Sources
- Account reactivation, GTBank · accessed Oct 2026
- Guidelines for managing dormant accounts, unclaimed balances and other financial assets, GTBank · accessed Oct 2026
- FAQs, Zenith Bank · accessed Oct 2026
- Dormant account, FirstBank · accessed Oct 2026
- Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (effective 1 Jan 2020), CBN · accessed Oct 2026
- Keep My Number, MTN Nigeria · 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.