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The short answer
Each Nigerian bank has its own SWIFT/BIC code, an 8-character code that is sometimes written with "XXX" on the end for the head office: GTBank is GTBINGLA, Zenith ZEIBNGLA, Access ABNGNGLA, FirstBank FBNINGLA, UBA UNAFNGLA and Fidelity FIDTNGLA. Confirm the code with the recipient's bank before you wire from the US, because a wrong code can send the payment back or delay it.
What a SWIFT code does on a US wire
A SWIFT code, also called a BIC (Business Identifier Code), tells your US bank which institution abroad should receive the payment. HSBC's explainer puts it simply: BIC and SWIFT code are "the same thing". The code does not identify the person; that is the job of the account number and name. A Nigerian bank code has a fixed pattern: four letters for the bank, "NG" for Nigeria, two characters for the location (usually "LA" for Lagos), and an optional three-character branch code. "XXX" means the head office, so GTBINGLA and GTBINGLAXXX point to the same place.
US wire forms usually accept either the 8- or 11-character form. If the form insists on 11 characters, add "XXX" unless the recipient's bank gives you a different branch code.
Codes for the main Nigerian banks
The table lists codes we confirmed in October 2026 and where each was confirmed. Where the bank itself publishes the code, we used that page; otherwise a SWIFT directory run by a payments company. Directories are a convenience, not the final word.
| Bank | SWIFT/BIC | Where confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) | GTBINGLA (GTBINGLAXXX) | Wise SWIFT directory, head office 635 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island |
| Zenith Bank | ZEIBNGLA (ZEIBNGLAXXX) | Remitly SWIFT directory, 87 Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island |
| Access Bank | ABNGNGLA (ABNGNGLAXXX) | Access Bank's own blog, which says the bank "has just this swift code" |
| First Bank of Nigeria | FBNINGLA (FBNINGLAXXX) | XE SWIFT directory, 35 Marina, Samuel Asabia House, Lagos |
| United Bank for Africa (UBA) | UNAFNGLA (UNAFNGLAXXX) | XE SWIFT directory, 57 Marina, UBA House, Lagos |
| Fidelity Bank | FIDTNGLA | Fidelity Bank's own 2025 SWIFT transfer details document |
For the Nigerian side of a single bank in more depth, see GTBank SWIFT code and sort code.
Why the code alone is not always enough for dollars
If you send US dollars to a Nigerian domiciliary account, the Nigerian bank does not hold an account with your US bank. The dollars travel through a correspondent bank in the US where the Nigerian bank keeps a dollar account. Fidelity Bank's 2025 instructions show how this looks in practice: it names Citibank N.A. New York (SWIFT CITIUS33) as its US dollar correspondent, gives Fidelity's account number at Citi, and puts the beneficiary's name and account number in field 59 of the SWIFT message.
Many Nigerian banks issue similar instruction sheets for dollar, pound and euro receipts. Ask the recipient to get the current one from their bank. Our guide to intermediary banks on USD wires explains where each item goes on a US form.
Reading a code, character by character
- Characters 1 to 4
- The bank: GTBI for GTBank, ZEIB for Zenith, ABNG for Access, FBNI for FirstBank
- Characters 5 and 6
- The country: NG for Nigeria in every code above
- Characters 7 and 8
- The location: LA, usually Lagos, where most head offices sit
- Characters 9 to 11
- The branch: XXX means head office; it is optional
If a code you are given does not have NG in positions five and six, it is not a Nigerian code, whatever the bank name beside it says.
How to check a code before you wire
- Ask the recipient to request the bank's "details for receiving international transfers" from the bank app, branch or customer service, in the currency you will send.
- Match the code against the bank's own website if it publishes one.
- Check that the bank name your US bank shows after you enter the code is the Nigerian bank you expect.
- Use the 8- or 11-character form your form accepts; do not invent branch codes.
- Keep a copy of the instruction sheet in case the wire needs tracing.
Mistakes that send money back
- Merged or renamed banks. Several Nigerian banks have merged in recent years. Use the code the recipient's bank gives today, not one saved from an old transfer.
- A Ghanaian or other country code. Groups such as Ecobank and UBA operate in many countries; the "NG" in characters five and six must be present.
- Mixing up codes. A SWIFT code is not a Nigerian sort code or a US routing number. Enter each only in its own field.
- Name mismatch. A correct code does not help if the account name differs from the name on the wire; see transfers failing on name mismatch.
Where Pryme fits
If your family only needs naira in a Nigerian account, a SWIFT code may not be needed at all. A Pryme account opened from the US holds US dollars and naira, with local details for each, and Naira deposits are held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank, regulated by the CBN and insured by the NDIC up to the applicable limit. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's activities are carried out through regulated partners. Payments to Nigerian accounts go through Send using the account number and bank name; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve.
Questions people ask
What is the SWIFT code for GTBank Nigeria?
GTBINGLA, or GTBINGLAXXX in the 11-character form for the head office, as listed in Wise's SWIFT directory in October 2026.
Is Zenith Bank's SWIFT code ZEIBNGLA?
Yes. Remitly's SWIFT directory lists ZEIBNGLAXXX for Zenith Bank Plc, 87 Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island. Confirm with Zenith before a large wire.
Do Nigerian banks have different SWIFT codes for each branch?
Most international payments use the head office code ending in XXX. Access Bank says it has just one SWIFT code. Use a branch code only if the recipient's bank gives you one.
What happens if I use the wrong SWIFT code?
The payment may be delayed, rejected or returned through the same chain, and charges taken on the way may not come back. Check the code with the receiving bank before you send.
Sources
- Wise SWIFT directory, GTBINGLAXXX (Guaranty Trust Bank Plc) · accessed Oct 2026
- Remitly SWIFT directory, ZEIBNGLAXXX (Zenith Bank Plc) · accessed Oct 2026
- Access Bank blog, Access Bank SWIFT code (7 Mar 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- XE SWIFT directory, FBNINGLAXXX (First Bank of Nigeria Ltd) · accessed Oct 2026
- XE SWIFT directory, UBA Nigeria · accessed Oct 2026
- Fidelity Bank Plc, Details for SWIFT transfers 2025 · 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.