First Bank of Nigeria (FirstBank) has increased the international spending limit on its naira debit cards to $50,000 per quarter, giving customers greater capacity to make payments abroad as foreign exchange liquidity improves.
The revised limit, disclosed in a customer notice dated October 19, 2026, covers cumulative international transactions through online payments, Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals and automated teller machines (ATMs).
The $50,000 allowance represents the total spending permitted within a quarter, rather than a limit for individual transactions. The development marks a significant increase from the $10,000 quarterly allowance previously reported for FirstBank’s Naira Mastercard in September.
At the time, the bank was reported to have permitted international online and POS transactions of up to $10,000 cumulatively per quarter, alongside a daily international ATM withdrawal limit of $1,000.
FirstBank Customers Gain Better Access to International Payments
The increase could benefit Nigerians who depend on their naira cards to pay for international services, purchase goods from overseas merchants and meet expenses while travelling.
International card payments are commonly used for airline tickets, hotel reservations, online shopping, software subscriptions, digital advertising and other services billed by foreign companies.
Students and parents making eligible overseas payments, as well as businesses purchasing services from international providers, could also benefit from the higher transaction ceiling.
The arrangement allows customers to initiate eligible foreign-currency payments using their naira cards, with the corresponding naira value debited from their accounts at the applicable exchange rate. It does not mean the bank is distributing $50,000 to customers or that the amount can be withdrawn as cash in dollars.
In its November 2 customer notice, FirstBank also quoted an exchange rate of N1,364 to the dollar for international transactions on its naira debit cards.
