AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
First check that it really failed: give the receiver the session ID so their bank can search for it, and track it on the NIBSS *565*5# service. If it did fail, it should be reversed to you; under the CBN's 2018 transfer rules, as reported, a failed NIP transfer not reversed within 24 hours of complaint attracted a ₦10,000 fine. Report it in writing with the session ID, then escalate to the CBN after about two weeks.
Three things that look the same
A transfer that has left you but not reached the other person is one of three things, and each is fixed differently.
| What happened | How you can tell | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| The receiver was credited, but has not noticed | Receiving bank finds the session ID | The receiver checks properly; nothing to reverse |
| The transfer is stuck between banks | App shows pending or in review | Status check and, if failed, reversal |
| The transfer failed after debiting you | App shows failed or pending reversal | Reversal to your account |
Most "not credited" cases are the first kind, especially when the receiver uses alerts that are delayed or checks only an app balance. That is why the session ID matters.
Step 1: use the session ID
Every NIP transfer carries a session ID on the receipt. Send it to the receiver and ask them to give it to their bank. Moniepoint's support pages describe this exact step: share the 30-digit session ID with the beneficiary, and contact support after 24 hours if the transfer still has not arrived. The receiving bank can then confirm whether the money landed and, if so, when.
You can also check the transfer yourself on the NIBSS USSD tracker. NIBSS lists *565*5# as an NIP tracker, ₦20 per check as at November 2025, which shows transfers from the last 48 hours when you dial from the phone number tied to the sending account.
Step 2: let the app finish its own process
Apps handle uncertain transfers in different ways. Kuda's help centre says NIBSS sends two responses about a minute apart; where the result is unclear Kuda retries for up to two hours, then queues the transfer for manual reversal. NIBSS says NIP settles in 12 sessions a day, and offers banks a Transaction Status Query. A transfer showing "pending" for a few hours may resolve without any action from you. For the status labels, see what "pending reversal" means.
Step 3: complain formally
- Use the app's "report transaction" option or contact the bank, and ask for a ticket number.
- Follow up by email with your name, account number, date, time, amount, receiver's account and bank, and the session ID.
- Ask for one of two answers in writing: proof that the receiving bank credited the beneficiary, or the date of reversal.
Under the CBN Regulation on Instant (Inter-Bank) EFT Services, as ThisDay reported in September 2018, a failed transfer not reversed within 24 hours of a customer's complaint attracted a ₦10,000 fine on the institution. We could not confirm how this is applied today, so use it as a reference point rather than a promise.
Step 4: escalate
The CBN complaints guide says to give the institution about two weeks, and to escalate earlier if you do not receive an acknowledgement or tracking number within three days. Write to the Director, Consumer Protection Department, at cpd@cbn.gov.ng or deliver a letter to the CBN Head Office or any branch, with your evidence and proof that you complained to the bank first.
What to include
- Name, address, phone and email; your bank and account number (never PIN or password).
- The transaction: date, time, amount, session ID, receiver's account and bank.
- Your complaint history: ticket numbers, dates, replies.
- What you want: reversal, or confirmation of credit to the beneficiary.
Common reasons a transfer does not land
- The receiving bank or app had an outage, so the transfer could not be confirmed. Kuda's retry-then-reverse process exists for exactly this.
- The receiving account is limited or restricted. Kuda notes that money sent to an account that has not completed BVN or ID checks can be held until it does.
- The receiver is looking at the wrong account, for instance a wallet rather than their bank account, or a second account with the same bank.
- The transfer was sent to a different account number from the one intended, and succeeded. That is a wrong transfer, not a failed one.
Ask the receiver to check each of these before you escalate; the answer often saves days of waiting.
Worked example
Example only. Halima sends ₦65,000 at 6.20pm on a Friday. Her app shows "successful" but her sister sees nothing. Halima sends the session ID; her sister's bank confirms the money landed at 6.21pm in an account the sister rarely uses. Nothing was lost. Had the receiving bank found no record, Halima would have reported it with the session ID that evening and expected either a reversal or proof of credit.
A different case is a transfer to the wrong number, which did succeed. See transferred to the wrong account. For card and ATM failures, see failed ATM or POS refund timelines.
Where Pryme fits
Each Pryme transfer has a reference in your history, and you can generate a statement or a verifiable receipt through VerifyDoc.ai to send to a receiver, their bank or the CBN (receipts; sending money).
Questions people ask
Money left my account but the receiver did not get it, what do I do?
Send the receiver the session ID so their bank can search for it, check the NIBSS *565*5# tracker, and if it failed, report it in writing to your bank for reversal.
How long does it take to reverse a failed transfer?
Many reverse the same day. Under the CBN's 2018 rules as reported, a failed transfer not reversed within 24 hours of complaint attracted a fine. Escalate to the CBN if unresolved after about two weeks.
What is *565*5#?
NIBSS lists it as an NIP tracker for transfers in the last 48 hours, ₦20 per check as at November 2025, dialled from the phone number tied to the sending account.
The app says successful but the receiver says no alert came?
Alerts can be late or missing. Ask the receiver to check their statement or ask their bank with the session ID before you assume it failed.
Sources
- NIBSS: USSD validation services, *565*5# NIP tracker (modified 12 Nov 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- NIBSS: NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) (modified 17 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Kuda Help: What happens when you send money (5 Aug 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Moniepoint Support: Transfers · accessed Oct 2026
- ThisDay: CBN announces fines for failed transaction reversals (18 Sep 2018) · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN: How to Lodge a Complaint (2022) · 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.