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The short answer
A Nigerian bank sort code has nine digits: a three-digit CBN bank code, a two-digit state code, a three-digit branch code and a check digit, under the CBN's NUBAN standards. Your branch, cheque book or account letter will show it. Everyday transfers do not need it; payroll files, cheques and some older forms do.
What a Nigerian sort code is
A Nigerian bank sort code identifies a bank and, for commercial banks, the specific branch. It is a nine-digit number defined by the Central Bank of Nigeria in its Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number (NUBAN) standards. It is not your account number and you do not need it for most everyday transfers: when you send money through a bank app, the NIBSS instant payment system routes it using the bank's code and the 10-digit NUBAN account number.
The term causes confusion because the UK also uses 'sort codes' (six digits, in the form 00-00-00) for an entirely different system. If a UK sender asks for your 'sort code' for a transfer to Nigeria, they almost certainly need your bank's SWIFT code and your account number instead. Our explainer on IBAN, sort code, routing number and SWIFT sets out the differences.
How the nine digits are structured
The CBN's revised NUBAN standards (circular PSM/DIR/CON/CWO/05/030 of 9 March 2020) describe the sort code formats for the two groups of institutions:
| Institution type | Format | What each part means |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit money banks (commercial, merchant, non-interest) | ABC-DE-FGH-I | ABC = three-digit CBN bank code; DE = state code; FGH = branch code; I = check digit |
| Other financial institutions (microfinance banks, mortgage banks and others) | 9-BCDEF-GH-I | 9 = prefix; BCDEF = five-digit institution code; GH = state code; I = check digit (no branch code) |
So the first three digits of a commercial bank's sort code are its CBN bank code. Commonly published bank codes include Access 044, First Bank 011, GTBank 058, UBA 033, Zenith 057, Fidelity 070, FCMB 214, Union 032, Sterling 232 and Wema 035 (as listed in Prembly's CBN bank code reference). The remaining digits narrow it down to the state and the branch, and the last digit is a check digit calculated by a formula, which lets systems catch typing errors.
Worked example
Example: a GTBank branch sort code would read 058-DE-FGH-I. The 058 tells you it is GTBank; DE is the state; FGH is the branch; I is the check digit. Two branches of the same bank in the same state share the first five digits and differ in the branch digits. We do not print real branch codes here because banks open, merge and renumber branches; get yours from the bank.
Sort code and NUBAN are linked but different
The NUBAN standard builds a 16-digit internal number from the institution code and a nine-digit serial, then calculates the check digit. What customers see is the 10-digit account number: nine serial digits plus the check digit. The bank code is used to compute and route that number, which is why you choose the bank by name in an app rather than typing a sort code.
Microfinance banks and digital accounts
Microfinance banks, mortgage banks and other financial institutions use the second format. Their codes start with 9 and carry a five-digit institution code instead of a three-digit bank code, and the standard gives them no branch digits at all. That is why digital banks and many microfinance banks cannot give you a 'branch sort code': the scheme does not assign one. If a form demands one, the institution's code, the account number and a confirmation letter are the honest answer.
Where to find your branch sort code
- Ask your branch or the contact centre. This is the most reliable source; quote your account number and the branch where the account was opened.
- Your bank statement or account letter. Some banks print the branch code or sort code on statements and account confirmation letters.
- The bank's app or internet banking. Some show branch details under account information.
- Online lists. Third-party lists of branch sort codes exist, but they go out of date; check any code found online with your bank before giving it to an employer or agency.
When forms actually ask for it
Most transfers today need only the bank name, account number and account name. A sort code still appears on some forms:
- Payroll and HR onboarding forms at older organisations, where salaries are paid by bulk files that include branch codes.
- Some government, pension and insurance forms that were designed when branch details mattered.
- Cheque clearing, where the code identifies the paying and collecting branches.
- Account details letters requested by embassies or foreign institutions, which sometimes include the sort code alongside the SWIFT code.
If a form insists on a sort code and your bank says it does not issue one for your account (for example, a microfinance bank or digital-only account without branch codes), give the bank code and account number and attach an account confirmation letter. For incoming foreign transfers, see SWIFT codes of Nigerian banks.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme accounts are reached by account number and bank name, like any Nigerian account. A Pryme account can also hold USD, GBP and EUR with local account details for each, which is how foreign payers send in their own currency; see multicurrency accounts.
Questions people ask
What is the sort code of my bank in Nigeria?
A nine-digit code: three digits for the bank, two for the state, three for the branch and a check digit. Ask your branch or contact centre for your branch's code.
Do I need a sort code to transfer money in Nigeria?
No. Transfers through bank apps and USSD use the bank name and the 10-digit account number; sort codes are mainly for older forms, payroll files and cheques.
Is sort code the same as bank code?
No, but they are related. For commercial banks the first three digits of the sort code are the CBN bank code, such as 058 for GTBank.
What should I give a UK sender who asks for my Nigerian sort code?
Your bank's SWIFT code, your account number and account name. UK-style sort codes do not apply to Nigerian accounts.
Sources
- CBN circular PSM/DIR/CON/CWO/05/030: Revised Standards on NUBAN, 9 Mar 2020 (RegAlert text) · accessed Oct 2026
- Prembly docs: CBN bank codes · 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.