In a continuation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) increased scrutiny of fintech startups, two of the country’s most prominent unicorns, Moniepoint and OPay, were fined a combined N2 billion (N1 billion each) in the second quarter of 2024, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter. While several other fintech companies were also penalized, the two firms were the hardest hit.

The penalties followed a routine CBN audit of the fintech sector, which revealed compliance issues. According to two sources familiar with the process, these regulatory checks are a standard procedure for banks and financial institutions under CBN oversight.

At least four other fintech companies were similarly penalized, though the details of these fines remain unknown.

The CBN has increasingly relied on fines to enforce regulatory compliance. In 2023, Nigerian banks paid a combined N678 million in penalties. In October 2024, the central bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) imposed a N15 billion fine on ten commercial banks, including Zenith and GTBank, for various infractions in the first half of the year.

Until recently, Nigeria’s rapidly growing fintech sector largely operated without CBN interference. However, the rapid expansion of fintechs like OPay and Moniepoint, which now serve millions of users, has invited greater scrutiny. OPay, for instance, claims a customer base of around 40 million, while Moniepoint, which processed 5.2 billion transactions in 2023, does not disclose specific customer numbers but is similarly large.

As these fintech giants have grown in influence, so too have concerns over their regulatory frameworks. A significant issue is that many fintechs, including OPay and Moniepoint, still operate under microfinance bank licenses. Originally intended to support micro, small, and medium enterprises, these licenses have allowed the companies to expand rapidly and service millions of customers. However, with that expansion has come heightened concern that the current licensing framework is inadequate to safeguard customers effectively, according to one source.

Beyond licensing, the CBN has also expressed concerns about the fintechs’ compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) processes. In April 2024, the central bank imposed a two-month ban on customer onboarding for several fintech companies, including Kuda Bank and Palmpay, citing non-compliance with KYC standards. The ban forced fintechs to overhaul their onboarding procedures and commit to improving their compliance measures.

Moniepoint declined to comment on any part of this story.

“We categorically refute the claims that OPay Digital Services was fined by the Central Bank of Nigeria to the tune of N1 billion for regulatory infractions,” OPay said in a statement to TechCabal. “These claims are entirely false.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria did not immediately respond to a request for comments. (Adapted from a report by TechCabal)