NAMENGLA11-character variant (head office):
NAMENGLAXXX| Bank code | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|
| NAME | NG | LA |
| Sterling Bank | NG (Nigeria) | Lagos |
An 11-character variant like NAMENGLAXXX also indicates the head office — the trailing 'XXX' is the default. Codes ending in different sequences (e.g. 'NAMENGLA001') refer to specific branches.
Sterling Bank traces its roots to NAL Bank (1960) and was rebranded as Sterling Bank in 2006 after a five-way merger that combined NAL Bank, Magnum Trust Bank, NBM Bank, INMB Investment Bank, and Trust Bank of Africa. Today Sterling operates approximately 160 branches in Nigeria with a particular focus on agriculture, education, health, and renewable-energy lending under its "HEART" strategy. The bank is publicly listed on the Nigerian Exchange. The legacy bank code NAME (from NAL Merchant) is retained in the SWIFT code NAMENGLA, which routes diaspora wires to the head office at 20 Marina, Lagos. Long form: NAMENGLAXXX.
vs NGN (Nigerian Naira)
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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 Sterling Bank, your sending bank needs this code (NAMENGLA) to route the payment message through correspondent banks to Sterling 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 NAMENGLA + 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 Sterling 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 NAMENGLAXXX), 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.
Sterling Bank's SWIFT/BIC code is NAMENGLA. 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 Sterling Bank's code referenced under either name on different financial platforms.
Yes. For an international wire to reach your Sterling Bank account, the sender needs SWIFT code NAMENGLA AND your account number. Some sending banks also request the recipient bank's full address (20 Marina, Sterling Towers, Lagos).
Typically 1 to 5 business days. The timing depends on the intermediary (correspondent) banks between the sending bank and Sterling 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: Sterling 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.