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The short answer
A direct bid at the CBN treasury bill auction needed at least ₦50,001,000 in 2026, in multiples of ₦1,000. Individuals with less buy through banks, brokers or apps that set their own minimums: Stanbic IBTC's FAQ gives ₦100,000 for its secondary-market bills, and Parthian Partners says its i-invest app sells bills from ₦10,000.
Why there are two kinds of minimum
Treasury bills are sold at an auction run by the CBN for the Debt Management Office. The auction itself is wholesale. Banks, discount houses and other primary dealers bid, either for themselves or on behalf of clients. Everything else, including what an individual can buy, is set by the intermediary in front of you. So the question 'what is the minimum?' has one answer for the auction and many answers for the market.
The auction minimum
The CBN's notice for the 29 July 2026 auction, reported by Nairametrics, said bids must be in multiples of ₦1,000 with a minimum of ₦50,001,000. Stanbic IBTC's FAQ gives the same ₦50,001,000 for the primary market. That is the figure people mean when they say 'you need ₦50 million for treasury bills'. It applies to a bid placed directly at the auction, not to every purchase of bills.
What intermediaries accept
| Provider | Minimum stated | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| CBN primary auction (direct bid) | ₦50,001,000, multiples of ₦1,000 | CBN notice via Nairametrics, Jul 2026 |
| Stanbic IBTC (secondary market) | ₦100,000, multiples of ₦10,000 | Stanbic IBTC T-bills FAQ, undated |
| i-invest (Parthian Partners) | From ₦10,000 | Parthian Partners page, modified Jun 2026 |
| Some banks (general) | From ₦100,000 | Parthian Partners page, modified Jun 2026 |
Two cautions. Stanbic IBTC's FAQ is internally inconsistent: one answer says ₦100,000 and another prints ₦100,000,000 for the secondary market, so confirm with the bank before you plan around it. And minimums change; treat every figure as the provider's statement on the date shown and ask for today's figure.
Bank-by-bank guides
For how specific banks handle bills, see buying through GTBank, through Stanbic IBTC and on i-invest.
Primary or secondary when you buy small
When a bank or app sells you a bill below the auction minimum, it has usually either bought a large amount at auction and is passing on a slice, or is selling you a bill already in issue from its own holding. Stanbic IBTC describes its small-ticket product as secondary market, with existing bills that have shorter remaining tenors and, in its words, lower rates. The rate you get is therefore not always the auction's stop rate. Primary vs secondary market treasury bills explains the difference.
If you have less than the provider's minimum
- FGN Savings Bond: ₦5,000 minimum, then ₦1,000 multiples, offered every month by the DMO, with a 2- or 3-year tenor (NGX and DMO FAQs).
- Money market funds, which hold bills and similar instruments: ARM's September 2025 factsheet gives a ₦1,000 minimum for its money market fund, with a 90-day minimum holding period.
- Wait and save towards the provider's minimum, then buy at the next auction cycle.
See money market funds in Nigeria.
Fees can matter more on small amounts
A flat fee is a bigger share of a small purchase. Stanbic IBTC's FAQ lists a ₦300 transaction fee plus VAT and a custody fee of 0.05% of face value plus VAT. On a ₦100,000 bill the ₦300 fee alone is 0.3% of your money, which on a 91-day bill is a noticeable share of the return. Ask for all charges before you buy.
What to check first
- The provider's minimum today, in writing or in the app.
- Whether the bill is newly issued or secondary, and its remaining days.
- The rate you will get, compared with the latest stop rate.
- All fees, including custody and early sale.
If a provider's minimum is far below what others accept, read its terms closely: what you hold may be units in a pool rather than a bill in your name. That is not wrong, but it changes who holds the bill and how quickly you can get your money out.
Example: what a small bill earns
Example, using a simple discount on a 365-day year (providers' conventions differ): a ₦100,000 face value 91-day bill at a 15.50% discount, the 91-day stop rate on 7 October 2026, costs ₦100,000 × (1 − 0.155 × 91 ÷ 365) = about ₦96,136. At maturity you receive ₦100,000, a return of about ₦3,864. If the provider charges a ₦300 transaction fee plus 7.5% VAT (₦322.50), as Stanbic IBTC's FAQ lists, the net return falls to about ₦3,542, before any custody fee. That is why the fee schedule matters as much as the minimum at this size.
How buying through a bank works at small sizes
If your bank places your order at the auction, it adds it to its own bid, so you share in the auction outcome: you get the stop rate if the bank's bid is accepted, or nothing that round if it is not. If the bank sells you a bill from its own holding, the rate is fixed when you buy. Ask which of the two you are getting, because it changes both the rate and when your money starts working.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme does not sell treasury bills. If you are saving up to a provider's minimum, a Naira Savings Box keeps that money apart; its rate is shown in the app.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum amount for treasury bills in Nigeria?
₦50,001,000 for a direct bid at the CBN auction in 2026. Banks and apps set lower minimums; Stanbic IBTC states ₦100,000 and i-invest says from ₦10,000.
Can I buy treasury bills with ₦10,000?
Parthian Partners says its i-invest app offers bills from ₦10,000. Most banks start higher. Check the provider's current minimum.
Can I buy treasury bills with ₦100,000 at a bank?
Some banks accept ₦100,000; Stanbic IBTC's FAQ gives that figure for secondary-market bills. Ask your bank.
Do I need ₦50 million to buy T-bills?
Only to bid directly at the CBN auction. Through an intermediary you can buy far less.
Sources
- Nairametrics: CBN targets N700 billion in third and final treasury bills auction for July 2026 (26 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Stanbic IBTC: Treasury Bills FAQs (undated; indicative rates dated Aug 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- Parthian Partners: Treasury Bills in Nigeria, what they are and how they work (modified 24 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- ARM Money Market Fund factsheet (Sept 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- NGX: FGN Savings Bond FAQs (undated) · 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.