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The short answer
Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria's SWIFT code is SCBLNGLA, written SCBLNGLAXXX in 11-character form, registered to 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos (Wise SWIFT directory, checked October 2026). A sender abroad also needs your exact account name, your account number in the right currency, and the bank name Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited.
The SWIFT code, or BIC, is how a foreign bank finds Standard Chartered's Nigerian bank on the international payments network. It is shared by every customer of the bank in Nigeria; your account number is what makes the payment yours. Because Standard Chartered operates in many countries, the most common mistake is copying a code for another country's Standard Chartered. The Nigerian code always contains NG. This guide gives the code, explains each part, and lists everything else a payer abroad will ask you for, so the money is not returned or held for weeks.
The code and what each part means
| Part | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bank code | SCBL | Standard Chartered Bank |
| Country code | NG | Nigeria |
| Location code | LA | Lagos |
| Branch code | XXX | Head office |
- 8-character code
- SCBLNGLA
- 11-character code
- SCBLNGLAXXX
- Bank name
- Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited
- Address in SWIFT directory
- 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos
Both forms point to the same place. Use SCBLNGLAXXX if a form insists on 11 characters, and SCBLNGLA if it accepts 8. The directory lists only the head-office code for the bank, so there is no separate branch code to look for.
What to give someone paying you from abroad
- Your account name exactly as the bank holds it.
- The account number of the account in the currency being sent. For dollars, give your USD domiciliary account; for pounds, your GBP account. A naira account number may lead to conversion on arrival.
- Bank name: Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited.
- SWIFT/BIC: SCBLNGLA or SCBLNGLAXXX.
- Bank address if asked: 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
- A short purpose of payment, such as salary, invoice number or tuition refund.
- Any correspondent or intermediary bank details, only if the bank gives them to you for that currency.
Sending money abroad from Standard Chartered
For outward payments the bank's June 2026 fee guide lists an outward telegraphic transfer at "Swift cost recovery ($25), 0.5% commission on transfer plus associate offshore charges (where applicable)". The bank's download centre has a 2D-barcoded Foreign Currency Transfer Form, and the SC Mobile listing says you can transfer to local and international accounts in the app.
Worked example, for illustration: sending $1,500 would cost $25 plus 0.5% of $1,500 ($7.50), so $32.50 before any charges taken by correspondent banks on the way. The guide does not list a charge for incoming SWIFT payments on the pages we could read; ask the contact centre before relying on a full amount arriving.
Mistakes that delay payments
- Using a Standard Chartered code from another country. Codes for other markets have a different country code in letters five and six; the Nigerian one reads NG.
- Putting the SWIFT code in the account number field, or the other way round. Read the sender's form slowly.
- Abbreviating the account name. "A. Okafor" may not match "Adaeze Chinwe Okafor" on the account.
- Sending euros to a USD account. The app listing names naira, US dollar and pound current accounts; if a payer must send euros, ask the bank how they will be credited before the payment is made.
- Leaving out the purpose of payment. Nigerian banks keep records of why foreign currency came in, and a missing purpose can mean a phone call or a request for documents before the money is released.
Paying a Nigerian account in naira
If the payer is in Nigeria and is sending naira, the SWIFT code is not used at all. They pick Standard Chartered from their bank's list and enter your 10-digit account number; the transfer runs on Nigeria's domestic rails. Giving a local payer a SWIFT code only causes confusion.
Tracing a payment that has not arrived
- Ask the sender for proof of payment showing the SWIFT code, account number and amount used, plus the payment's tracking reference.
- Check that the code on the proof is SCBLNGLA or SCBLNGLAXXX, not a code for Standard Chartered in another country.
- Send the proof to the bank through secure mail in SC Mobile, or to clientcare.ng@sc.com, and ask whether the funds are held for documentation.
- If the sender used wrong details, the recall must start with the sending bank.
Contact numbers and escalation steps are in our Standard Chartered Nigeria customer care guide. For how SWIFT compares with local rails, see SWIFT vs local payment rails, and for the difference between SWIFT, IBAN and sort codes, this explainer.
Where Pryme fits
If your clients are in the UK, US or eurozone, a Pryme account gives you local GBP, USD and EUR account details, so payers there can often send a domestic transfer instead of a SWIFT payment. Funds stay in that currency until you choose to Swap. Outside Nigeria, these services are provided through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
What is the SWIFT code of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria?
SCBLNGLA, or SCBLNGLAXXX in 11-character form, registered to 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Is SCBLNGLA the same as SCBLNGLAXXX?
Yes. XXX denotes the head office; both codes route to the same bank.
Does Standard Chartered Nigeria have different SWIFT codes for branches?
The SWIFT directory we checked lists only the head-office code for Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited.
How much does Standard Chartered Nigeria charge for international transfers?
The June 2026 fee guide lists $25 SWIFT cost recovery plus 0.5% commission, plus any offshore charges, for outward transfers.
Sources
- Wise: SWIFT code SCBLNGLAXXX, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited · accessed Oct 2026
- Standard Chartered Nigeria: Service Fees and Price Guide, June 2026 (PDF) · accessed Oct 2026
- Standard Chartered Nigeria: Download Centre · accessed Oct 2026
- Apple App Store: SC Mobile 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.