FCMBNGLA11-character variant (head office):
FCMBNGLAXXX| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| FCMB | NG | LA |
| FCMB | NG (Nigeria) | Lagos |
An 11-character variant like FCMBNGLAXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'FCMBNGLA001') refer to specific branches.
First City Monument Bank (FCMB), founded in 1982 as the first wholly-owned investment bank in Nigeria, became a commercial bank in 2001 and is now part of FCMB Group Plc, which is listed on the Nigerian Exchange. The group operates more than 200 branches in Nigeria plus a UK subsidiary (FCMB UK Limited) that handles GBP-side flows for the diaspora corridor, along with operations in The Gambia and Sierra Leone. FCMB has been an active player in Nigeria's SME and retail banking segments and runs a sizeable agency-banking network for last-mile reach. The bank's 8-character SWIFT code FCMBNGLA routes wires to the Lagos head office.
vs NGN (Nigerian Naira)
Compare international operators that can deposit to a FCMB 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 FCMB, your sending bank needs this code (FCMBNGLA) to route the payment message through correspondent banks to First City Monument 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 FCMBNGLA + 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 FCMB, 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 FCMBNGLAXXX), 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.
First City Monument Bank's SWIFT/BIC code is FCMBNGLA. 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 FCMB's code referenced under either name on different financial platforms.
Yes. For an international wire to reach your FCMB account, the sender needs SWIFT code FCMBNGLA AND your account number. Some sending banks also request the recipient bank's full address (First City Plaza, 44 Marina, Lagos).
Typically 1 to 5 business days. The timing depends on the intermediary (correspondent) banks between the sending bank and FCMB. 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: FCMB'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.