ABNGNGLA11-character variant (head office):
ABNGNGLAXXX| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| ABNG | NG | LA |
| Access Bank | NG (Nigeria) | Lagos |
An 11-character variant like ABNGNGLAXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'ABNGNGLA001') refer to specific branches.
Access Bank, founded in 1989, is now Nigeria's largest bank by assets following the 2019 merger with Diamond Bank and aggressive pan-African expansion under the Access Corporation holding structure. The bank has subsidiaries across more than 15 African markets including Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa and Rwanda, plus operations in the UK and the UAE. Access maintains over 600 branches in Nigeria alone and has been a major channel for diaspora remittances via partnerships with global money-transfer operators. The SWIFT code ABNGNGLA identifies the head office on Victoria Island, Lagos; the 11-character form is ABNGNGLAXXX.
vs NGN (Nigerian Naira)
Compare international operators that can deposit to a Access Bank account through their banking partner network.
Wise is a MomoCalc affiliate partner — we may earn a commission if you open an account via this link, at no extra cost to you.
SWIFT and BIC are two names for the same identifier: an 8 or 11-character code standardised by ISO 9362 that identifies a bank in the SWIFT payment network. For a wire to Access Bank, your sending bank needs this code (ABNGNGLA) to route the payment message through correspondent banks to Access Bank in Lagos.
An IBAN, by contrast, identifies a specific bank account — not the institution. IBANs are mandatory in the European Economic Area, the UK, most of the Middle East, and several African countries (but Nigeria does not use IBANs universally). For most wires to Nigeria, you will supply SWIFT code ABNGNGLA + the recipient's account number, not an IBAN.
UK sort codes (6 digits) and US routing numbers (9 digits) are domestic-only equivalents — they do not work for international wires. If a US-based sender wants to wire to Access Bank, they need the SWIFT code, not the US routing number of the correspondent bank (although their bank may use the routing number internally to route their side of the wire).
One final technical detail on the 11-character form: the last three characters identify a specific branch. When they read 'XXX' (as in ABNGNGLAXXX), they conventionally designate the head office itself. Most international wires use either the 8-character form or the 11-character form with XXX; unless your recipient explicitly tells you otherwise, that is the right choice.
Access Bank's SWIFT/BIC code is ABNGNGLA. This 8-character code identifies the bank's Lagos head office for international wire transfers.
Yes. SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) and BIC (Business Identifier Code) are two names for the same 8 or 11-character identifier standardised by ISO 9362. You will see Access Bank's code referenced under either name on different financial platforms.
Yes. For an international wire to reach your Access Bank account, the sender needs SWIFT code ABNGNGLA AND your account number. Some sending banks also request the recipient bank's full address (Plot 14/15 Prince Alaba Oniru Road, Victoria Island, Lagos).
Typically 1 to 5 business days. The timing depends on the intermediary (correspondent) banks between the sending bank and Access Bank. Wires from major global banks (HSBC, Barclays, JPMorgan, Citi) usually clear fastest.
For smaller amounts to Nigeria, operators such as Wise, LemFi, Sendwave, and TapTap Send typically offer a rate closer to mid-market and lower fees than a classic SWIFT bank wire. See our Nigeria inbound corridor comparison for side-by-side pricing.
Source: Access Bank's official website + Wise SWIFT directory. Last verified: 2026-06-04. SWIFT codes change rarely but always confirm with your bank before initiating a transfer. Educational only — not financial advice.