By Abubkar Yunusa
Commercial banks recorded a total of N36.34 trillion automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawals between January and June 2025, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The figure represents a 196.01 percent increase from the N12.21 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
Transaction volumes followed a similar trajectory, rising by 72.98 percent to 858.8 million withdrawals in the first half of 2025, compared with 496.47 million a year earlier.
Data from the CBN’s quarterly statistical bulletin show that the value of ATM withdrawals nearly tripled year on year, despite the implementation of new transaction fees in February 2025.
The CBN said withdrawals amounted to N15.97 trillion — up from N5.46 trillion in the same period of 2024.
This reflects an increase of N10.51 trillion, or 192.4 percent, while transaction volumes rose by 95.3 percent from 210.66 million to 411.42 million.
Transactions further strengthened in the second quarter (Q2), with ATM withdrawals rising to N20.36 trillion between April and June 2025, more than three times the N6.75 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
The increase of N13.61 trillion represents a growth of about 201.6 percent, while volumes climbed by 56.53 percent to 447.38 million transactions.
MONTHLY DATA
Monthly figures also indicated a steady rise in ATM usage throughout the six-month period. In January 2025, the CBN said withdrawals stood at N4.81 trillion, compared with N2.15 trillion in January 2024, while transaction volumes more than doubled from 69.62 million to 147.24 million.
Withdrawals reportedly increased to N5.4 trillion in February, up from N1.72 trillion a year earlier, with volumes rising to 134.59 million.
March followed with N5.76 trillion in withdrawals, compared with N1.6 trillion in March 2024, alongside 129.59 million transactions.
The regulator said April withdrawals rose to N6.38 trillion from N1.81 trillion recorded in 2024, while May posted the highest monthly value at N7.43 trillion, up from N2.49 trillion in May 2024.
Although June eased slightly to N6.55 trillion, it exceeded the N2.45 trillion recorded in the same month of the previous year.
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