PLNINGLA11-character variant (head office):
PLNINGLAXXX| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| PLNI | NG | LA |
| Keystone Bank | NG (Nigeria) | Lagos |
An 11-character variant like PLNINGLAXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'PLNINGLA001') refer to specific branches.
Keystone Bank was established in 2011 when the Central Bank of Nigeria revoked the licence of Bank PHB (Platinum-Habib Bank) and AMCON created a bridge bank to assume its operations. Following years of restructuring, AMCON divested its stake in 2017. Keystone Bank now operates roughly 160 branches across Nigeria with a focus on retail banking, SME lending, and public-sector accounts. The bank's SWIFT code is PLNINGLA — the spec circulating in some directories listed PAFINGLA, but the correct Wise/TheSwiftCodes/bank.codes-verified form is PLNINGLA (long form PLNINGLAXXX). Senders should always confirm the active SWIFT code on the official Keystone Bank channel before initiating a wire.
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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 Keystone Bank, your sending bank needs this code (PLNINGLA) to route the payment message through correspondent banks to Keystone 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 PLNINGLA + 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 Keystone 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 PLNINGLAXXX), 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.
Keystone Bank's SWIFT/BIC code is PLNINGLA. 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 Keystone Bank's code referenced under either name on different financial platforms.
Yes. For an international wire to reach your Keystone Bank account, the sender needs SWIFT code PLNINGLA AND your account number. Some sending banks also request the recipient bank's full address (1 Keystone Bank Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos).
Typically 1 to 5 business days. The timing depends on the intermediary (correspondent) banks between the sending bank and Keystone 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: Keystone 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.