As Nigeria’s financial ecosystem rapidly digitizes, so does the sophistication of financial crime. In response, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released its 2025 Baseline Standards for Automated Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Solutions, a clear signal that compliance can no longer be manual, reactive, or loosely enforced.

This new CBN AML circular sets strict minimum standards for anti-money laundering (AML) automation and is particularly relevant for fintechs, digital banks, and payment providers operating in Nigeria.

If you're building in the Nigerian financial space, the CBN now expects you to adopt automated AML systems that can detect risk, monitor transactions, and generate regulatory reports in real time. 

But how can you meet CBN’s expectations without bloating your budget or slowing down operations?

Let’s break it down.

What the CBN Now Expects from AML Systems in 2025

According to the new CBN AML guidelines, every automated AML solution must support:

• Risk Profiling – Assigning risk levels to users based on all of their activities across the platform, which includes identity verification, credit check, sanctions screening, etc
• PEP & High-Risk Profiling – Identifying politically exposed persons and other sensitive categories to apply enhanced due diligence.
• Risk Assessment – Systematic evaluation of threats associated with customer profiles, product offerings, and transaction patterns.
• Identification and Verification (ID&V) – Establishing and validating customer identity at onboarding and across lifecycle events.
• Sanction Screening – Real-time and periodic checks against global and local watchlists to flag prohibited or restricted entities.
• Transaction Monitoring – Continuous surveillance of financial activity to detect unusual or suspicious behavior in real time.
• Regulatory Reporting – Automated generation of suspicious activity/transaction reports (SARs/STRs) in line with local mandates.

And beyond these features, institutions must prove they can act on findings via case management, rule customization, and continuous review.

The Problem: Most AML Tools Aren’t Built for Africa

Global AML tools often fall short in Nigeria’s context. They’re expensive, hard to integrate, and miss the nuance of local data sources, infrastructure, and regulatory specifics.

Many fintech teams end up stuck between:

• Overpriced enterprise tools designed for banks in the West.
• Manual workflows that can’t scale or meet inspection standards.
• Disjointed systems that require developer time to integrate or maintain.

The result is teams that are compliant on paper but still at risk in practice.

How Dojah Helps Fintechs Meet the CBN AML 2025 Compliance Circular

Unlike global AML tools that struggle with localization, Dojah is purpose-built for African markets. We understand the complexity of local data sources, evolving fraud trends, and regulatory nuances in Nigeria and on the continent.

Here is how we directly align with CBN’s 2025 AML standards:

1. No-Code Rule Builder for Fast Customization

Compliance teams can configure rules, risk thresholds, and workflows without developer input. Our interface empowers you to respond quickly to CBN updates or internal policy shifts.

2. Seamless System Integration

Dojah’s AML infrastructure is API-first and cloud-native. Whether you’re a seed-stage startup or a licensed bank, you can integrate identity, KYC, risk, and transaction modules across your stack.

 3. Real-Time Sanction & PEP Screening

We screen against:

• Global lists: OFAC, UN, UK, EU
• Regional lists: ECOWAS
• Nigerian authorities: EFCC, NFIU
  This ensures compliance with CBN Section 4.6 for AML watchlist screening.

4. Advanced Transaction Monitoring

Our EasyDetect tool helps you detect suspicious behavior like structuring, velocity anomalies, or sudden account activity. Our system is fully compliant with CBN Sections 4.3 and 4.4, supporting real-time alerts and contextual risk scoring.

5. KYC & KYB Workflows

Verify individual users with NIN, BVN, biometrics, phone/email verification and businesses (CAC data, TIN, director screening) all in one place.

6. Risk Assessment Engine

Continuously evaluate static and dynamic risk indicators, identity data, device fingerprints, behavior patterns per CBN’s AML framework.

7. Automated Regulatory Reporting

Dojah enables financial institutions to:

• Flag and categorize reportable activity
• Export SARs/STRs in CBN-ready formats
• Annotate and approve filings before submission

We also help you escalate, and track compliance alerts with ease. Our system maintains a full audit trail to meet CBN Section 4.7 responsibilities.

8. Enterprise-Grade Data Protection

We meet CBN cybersecurity requirements, NDPR, and ISO 27001 standards. All data is encrypted, monitored, and protected across cloud environments.

Book a Demo: Stay CBN-Compliant Without Compromise

Need help aligning with the CBN AML compliance circular?
👉 Schedule a walkthrough and see how Dojah supports end-to-end automation, from onboarding to regulatory reporting.

FAQ: AML Compliance & the CBN Circular

What is the CBN AML circular 2025?

It’s a regulatory framework released by the Central Bank of Nigeria to establish minimum standards for AML automation in the Nigerian financial sector.

Who must comply with the CBN’s new AML guidelines?

All regulated financial institutions, especially fintechs, digital banks, and payment providers must upgrade their systems to align with the CBN’s AML automation standards.

How can Nigerian fintechs achieve automated AML compliance?

By implementing tools like Dojah, which offer end-to-end identity verification, risk profiling, sanction screening, transaction monitoring, and regulatory reporting, all in line with the CBN AML circular.