If you use POS machines in Nigeria—either as an agent, merchant, or customer—you’ll want to know how much each service costs. Charges vary by provider, amount, service type, and region. In 2025, many things changed: providers adjusted fees, regulators introduced stamp duty and levies, and agents had to revise what they charge. This article gives a full, up‑to‑date list of POS charges in Nigeria for 2025.
What Are POS Charges? Definitions & What They Cover
Before listing charges, it helps to understand what POS charges are, who pays them, and for which services.
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POS Device / Terminal Fee: The upfront cost to acquire or get the POS machine. Some providers charge a caution fee (a refundable deposit), others a flat device fee. Sometimes free under promotion or when meeting targets.
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Withdrawal Charges: When customer wants cash from the POS, a small % or flat amount is charged. Part goes to the agent, part maybe to provider or bank.
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Deposit / Cash‑in Fees: Putting money into POS wallet or agent wallet.
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Transfer Fees: Transferring money from wallet to bank account, or between accounts, using POS infrastructure.
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Airtime / Data / Bill Payment Charges: When customers top up their phone, buy data, pay TV cable bills or electricity etc.
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Commission / Agent Commission Rates: What the POS agent earns per transaction (a share of the charge).
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Special Regulatory Fees: Stamp duty or electronic money transfer levy may add extra cost.
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Settlement / Processing Fees: Sometimes fees for faster settlement of funds, or for maintaining the terminal service.
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Hidden or Miscellaneous Fees: These include power/internet/data costs, replacement parts, maintenance, etc.
What Factors Determine POS Charges in Nigeria
POS charges are not fixed. They depend on several things. Understanding these helps you expect what you will pay or what you will charge if you are an agent.
Factor | How It Affects Charges |
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Transaction amount | Smaller transactions might have flat fees; larger ones may have percentage or a capped amount. |
Provider / Brand | Opay, Moniepoint, PalmPay, Baxi etc. have different business models, profit margins, network costs—leading to different fee structure. |
Location / Region | Urban areas may have lower cost or competition; rural or remote get higher transportation, cash retrieval or risk costs baked into charges. |
Device type | Smart / Android POS with more features may cost more and may have different fee splits; basic / mini or button POS likely cheaper. |
Agent level / Tier | Some providers have tiers for agents; higher tiers get better (lower) charges, more commission or discounts. |
Regulation / Policy changes | When government or CBN introduces stamp duty, levies, or caps, providers must adjust. For example, the Electronic Money Transfer Levy or stamp duty on high amounts. |
Cash / Float availability | If agent has to travel or pay premium for getting cash or servicing float, charges may reflect that. |
Settlement speed | If funds are settled instantly, provider may charge more; if slower, lower. |
List of Common POS Charges by Provider & Service Type
Here are detailed charges (2025) by providers and by service type (withdrawal, deposit, transfer, airtime/data, bill payments). These are the prevailing rates reported in multiple sources; actual may vary by location or negotiation.
Opay POS Charges in 2025
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Device / Terminal Price
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Opay Smart POS: ~ ₦50,000
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Opay Traditional POS: ~ ₦35,000
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Opay Mini POS: ~ ₦8,500
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Withdrawal Charges
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For withdrawals below ₦20,000: ~ 0.5% per transaction
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For withdrawals above ₦20,000: flat rate ₦100
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Deposit / Cash‑in Charges
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For deposits of ₦5,000 and below: ₦10 flat fee
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₦5,001 to ₦10,000: ₦20 flat fee
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Above ₦10,000: ~ ₦30 flat fee
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Airtime / Data / Bill Payment Charges
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Airtime/data: ~ 3‑4.5% commission depending on network (MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile)
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Utility / subscription or TV cable bills: ~ 2% fee
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Other Notes
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Opay allows agents “Preferred Merchant” status which has lower rates or better charge terms.
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On small transactions, agent may have minimum flat fee vs percent.
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Moniepoint POS Charges in 2025
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Device / Terminal Price / Caution Fee
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Traditional Moniepoint POS devices: approx ₦24,000 – ₦30,000
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Android POS versions: ₦35,000‑₦45,000 depending on model and region
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Withdrawal & Transaction Charges
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Withdrawal: ~ 0.5% of transaction amount for many services.
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Some flat fees depending on amount and provider. (E.g., for larger withdrawal, may have capped fee).
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Transfer / Deposit / Bill Payment / Other Services
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Transfer charges: sometimes flat fees for lower amounts, rising with amount. Eg. deposits or transfers may cost ₦20‑₦100 depending on amount.
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Bill payments, airtime/data commissions/idiosyncrasies: variable, often ~2‑5% depending on network or biller.
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PalmPay POS Charges in 2025
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Device fee / Caution / Price: PalmPay charges in range ₦30,000 – ₦50,000 for Android / classic POS types in many areas.
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Withdrawal fee: approx 0.5% for many withdrawals, with caps for larger values.
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Deposit / Transfer: Flat / small fees; often modest for small amounts.
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Airtime/data & bill payment: similar commissions around 2‑4% depending on network.
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Some devices or agents benefit from lower fees depending on region or targets.
Baxi POS & Other Fintech POS Charges
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Device / Machine Price (Baxi)
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Traditional / Android POS devices with caution or outright fee in many cases around ₦20,000‑₦30,000 for basic models; more for Android/Smart models.
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Withdrawal / Transaction Fee
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For withdrawals less than ₦20,000: ~ 0.55% or similar fee in many places.
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For larger withdrawals, flat fee kicks in.
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Deposits, Transfers, Bill / Utility Payment
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Flat rates for small transfers or deposits (₦10‑₦30 etc.) depending on the amount.
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Commissions from bill payments/utility vary by provider and biller.
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Bank POS Charges (Commercial Banks) in 2025
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Some banks have POS terminal programs with lower or waived device fees (free or caution fee) if you have a business account and meet certain volume or documentation requirement.
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Withdrawal charges: banks sometimes charge ~ ₦100‑₦200 flat for small withdrawal ranges; possibly a % for larger or cross‑bank etc.
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Processing / Merchant Service Charges (MSC): some banks (e.g. GTBank) in early 2025 removed processing fees on their PoS for merchants.
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For transfers, deposit, bill payment, bank POS rates sometimes mimic fintech POS in percentage or flat fees.
Special Fees: Stamp Duty, Electronic Money Levy, Additional Levies
As of 2025, some regulatory fees affect POS transactions, adding cost for agents or customers.
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Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) / stamp duty: often ₦50 charge on transactions of ₦10,000 and above, per law introduced; this levy may be passed along.
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Providers / agents often adjust withdrawal fees or minimum charges upward to include cost of these levies.
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These fees are regulatory, required by FIRS or CBN, so any POS provider must comply.
How Charges Translate by Transaction Amount: Tiered Examples
To help you understand, here are example charges for different transaction amounts, using typical rates (~0.5%) or flat fee patterns.
Transaction Type | Amount | Approx % Fee | Approx Flat Fee / What Agent Might Charge |
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Withdrawal | ₦1,000 | 0.5% → ₦5 | But agent may charge minimum, say ₦50 |
Withdrawal | ₦5,000 | 0.5% → ₦25 | Agent might set ₦100 flat or around that |
Withdrawal | ₦20,000 | 0.5% → ₦100 | Flat fee often ~ ₦100 for above ₦20,000 |
Transfer / Deposit | ₦3,000 | small flat fee (₦10‑₦20) | example: deposits < ₦5,000 cost ₦10 (Opay) |
Transfer / Deposit | ₦15,000 | flat or small % or mixed (₦20‑₦50) | depending on provider |
Airtime / Data Top‑up | ₦500 | commission % |
depending on network |
Bill Payment (e.g. TV, electricity) | ₦5,000 | depending on biller / provider |
These tiered examples show the difference between small and larger transactions. Agents often set minimum charges to avoid doing many tiny transactions that cost more in time or data.
Comparisons: Which POS Has Lowest Charges / Best Value
From what reports show:
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Opay is often among the cheapest for small withdrawal transactions, especially if you are “Preferred Merchant” or reach agent level where discounted rates apply.
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Moniepoint also offers competitive rates for agents, especially in urban areas.
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PalmPay tends to be moderate, good features but fees slightly higher for premium POS types.
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Baxi often has mid‑range fees: not cheapest, but offers service coverage and good device options.
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Bank‑POS may have higher charges in remote or less competitive areas, or if volume is low, but in many cases bank backing adds trust and reliability.
Key Value Metrics:
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Low charges are good, but also consider settlement speed, device reliability, and downtime (if POS often fails, cheap charge is less useful).
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A small flat fee is often more stable for agent, but percentage fees scale with amount.
Pros and Cons of Low vs Higher POS Charges
Pros of Low POS Charges
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More customers willing to use your POS since fees are low
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More transactions overall → more volume → more commission in total
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Competitive advantage over agents who charge high fees
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Encourages cashless economy / financial inclusion
Cons of Very Low POS Charges
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Profit margin per transaction may be too small, not worth agent effort or cost of electricity/data/time
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Agents may not maintain good service (battery, device maintenance) if earning little
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Hidden costs (internet, device wear, float replenishment) may eat into small margins
How to Negotiate or Avoid Excessive POS Charges
If you’re a POS agent or merchant, you can take steps to keep charges fair or reduce them:
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Choose providers with transparent pricing, show you full schedule of fees.
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Ask about agent tiers or “preferred merchant” levels that reduce fees in exchange for volume.
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Negotiate device cost / caution fee: sometimes providers waive or reduce if agent meets targets.
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Monitor regulatory changes (stamp duty, EMTL) so you know what fees are mandated vs optional.
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Compare between providers in your area. Sometimes switching gives you better rates.
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Use devices that consume less data, have long battery, reduce overhead costs.
Summary Table
Here is a summary table of POS charges by provider and service for 2025, as reported in various sources. Use this as a reference to compare.
Provider | Device Fee / Caution | Withdrawal Charge | Deposit/Transfer Fee | Airtime / Data / Bill Payment Commission |
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Opay | Smart POS: ~ ₦50,000; Traditional: ₦35,000; Mini: ₦8,500 | 0.5% for withdrawals < ₦20,000; ₦100 flat fee if above | Deposits < ₦5,000: ₦10; ₦5,001‑₦10,000: ₦20; > ₦10,000: ~ ₦30 | Airtime/data: ~3‑4.5%, bill payments/subscriptions ~2% |
Moniepoint | Device: ₦24,000‑₦30,000 (traditional); Android POS: ₦35,000‑₦45,000 | Withdrawal ~0.5% for many cases | Transfer / Deposit fees: ₦20‑₦100 depending on amount | Airtime/data or utility commissions vary; often 2‑5% depending on network / biller |
PalmPay | Device fee: ₦30,000‑₦50,000 for higher POS types | Withdrawal around 0.5% for many transactions; flat fees may apply for larger sums | Deposit/Transfer small flat or percent fees depending on amount and provider policy | Bill payments / airtime/data approx 2‑4% or flat charges depending on situation |
Baxi | Device / caution fee: ~ ₦20,000‑₦30,000 for basic models; Android more | Withdrawal fee ~0.55% for amounts under ₦20,000; flat fee for higher amounts | Transfer or deposit fees: flat rates like ₦30 etc., depending on amount | Commissions for airtime/data/bill vary; many do ~2‑4% or flat fees for certain utility payments |
Bank POS | Often lower or free device for businesses meeting criteria; else device or caution fee depends on bank and business size | Withdrawal fees may be higher (around 0.75% or specific flat fees) depending on bank; or may be custom for bank devices | Transfer / deposit fees vary; often flat fees for small amounts; sometimes percent for bigger ones | Bill / airtime commissions similar to fintech POS; sometimes lower, sometimes bank imposes minimum or higher flat fees depending on cost overheads |
Conclusion
Knowing the list of POS charges in Nigeria for 2025 helps you avoid overpaying, choose the best provider, or negotiate better if you are an agent. From what current reports show:
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Many providers charge around 0.5% withdrawal fee for moderate amounts, with flat fees for larger sums.
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Device or terminal cost (outright purchase or caution fee) tends to range between ₦20,000 to ₦50,000, depending on the device type and provider.
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Bill payments / airtime / data commissions are often around 2‑5% depending on network or biller.
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Special regulatory costs (stamp duty, EMTL etc.) sometimes added per transaction.
If you are planning to get a POS or charge customers, it’s best to get all the fee schedules from the provider(s) in your area, compare, and consider both upfront costs and running costs (power, data, float). Low charges are good—but reliability and reputation matter too.
FAQs
Here are at least 10 common questions people ask about POS charges in Nigeria (2025), and simple answers:
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Why do POS providers charge 0.5% or flat fees for withdrawals?
Because the provider must cover costs: network, float (cash), maintenance, electricity, agent commission. The percentage or flat fees help share those costs among users. -
What is “device fee” or “caution fee” for a POS terminal?
A device fee is the cost to obtain or purchase the POS machine. A caution fee is like a deposit: you may get it back if you meet certain conditions or return the device in good condition. -
Are POS charges regulated by CBN or any authority?
Yes. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and related regulatory bodies set some guidelines. Also, stamp duties and electronic money levies are required by law. -
Do charges differ by location?
Yes. Urban areas with better infrastructure often have lower costs; rural or remote areas may have higher charges because of transport, cash logistics, power and network issues. -
How do I know which POS provider has the lowest charges for my area?
You can compare device fees, withdrawal fees, commission on bill/airtime/data services, transfer fees. Ask nearby POS agents what they charge. Get the provider to show you their fee schedule. -
Is there a minimum charge if I withdraw a small amount?
Often yes. Even if percent model says very low, many agents set a minimum flat fee (e.g. ₦50 or ₦100) to make small transactions worth their time and cost of resources. -
What is the cost of airtime or data top‑ups via POS?
Usually a commission percent (2‑5%) depending on the network. For example, Opay charges around 3‑4.5% depending on network. -
What about bill payment charges (electricity, TV, etc.)?
They vary by biller. Often providers charge flat fees or percentage (≈2‑5%) depending on complexity and overhead for the provider. -
Do bank POS charges differ from fintech POS charges?
Yes. Bank POS sometimes have different fee structures: sometimes higher for certain services, sometimes lower if merchant has bank relationship or meets volume. Also regulatory and brand trust differences play a role. -
Have POS charges increased in 2025 compared to previous years?
Yes. Many POS operators increased withdrawal charges recently citing factors like stamp duty, electronic levies, cash scarcity, and higher costs for running business. -
What is the “stamp duty” or “electronic money transfer levy” and how does it affect POS fees?
The CBN / FIRS requires certain transactions (e.g., above ₦10,000) to pay a stamp duty or electronic levy (e.g. ₦50). POS providers include this cost in their charges. So customer or agent may pay extra flat charge because the provider must comply. -
Is there a POS with zero or free charges?
Very few. Some providers waive device fees or reduce charges if you meet volume/agent targets. But there is always some cost (commission, flat fee, etc.). Free POS is usually conditional. -
Can I negotiate POS charges as a merchant or agent?
Sometimes yes, especially if you have high transaction volume or you are in a competitive area. Providers may give lower commission or lower charges to favored agents. -
How often do POS providers change their fee schedules?
Fairly often. Because cost of cash logistics, network, regulation, inflation, or policy changes (stamp duty etc.) can force changes. Agents should check provider updates. -
If a POS transaction fails, will I still pay the charge?
Usually not. Successful transactions are what providers charge. If transaction fails (no settlement, debit reversed), fee should be reversed. However, in some cases agents or customers complain that failed transactions are still charged—this should be checked with provider.