Zenith Bank PLC SWIFT/BIC code

Zenith Bank PLC SWIFT code: ZEIBNGLA

The 8-character code ZEIBNGLA and the 11-character code ZEIBNGLAXXX identify the same bank: Zenith Bank PLC. The code does one job: it ensures that a cross-border transfer reaches the right bank. In practice you usually come across the code on international invoices, in your banking app and on the account details that Zenith Bank PLC provides.

This page is meant to help anyone who pays into an account at Zenith Bank PLC. Keep in mind that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the account: the IBAN or account number does that part.

Head office or branch code at Zenith Bank PLC?

Having 3 codes in 2 cities, Zenith Bank PLC belongs to the banks that use individual codes for parts of the organisation. The head office code remains ZEIBNGLAXXX.

Usually there is no need to pick a branch: payments sent to ZEIBNGLAXXX are routed within Zenith Bank PLC correctly. A branch code only makes sense when the account holder explicitly asks for it.

When in doubt, check with the recipient for the exact BIC in their bank details. Branch codes are sometimes changed or retired when banks reorganise, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Tracking a transfer to or from Zenith Bank PLC

How fast a transfer reaches Zenith Bank PLC depends on a few things: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and time zones. Weekends and public holidays in either country add extra days, since banks do not process on those days. Sometimes a bank wants to know what the payment is for, which can hold things up.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Specialist transfer services usually show tracking online so you can see how far the payment has got.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the sender should contact the bank that sent it rather than Zenith Bank PLC. On the receiving end, you can look at your account for a partial amount, since fees may have been deducted.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Criminals often use payment requests with new bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. That ZEIBNGLA is a real code does not mean that a request mentioning it is genuine.

Always confirm a change of bank details through a phone call on a number you know, not one from the message. Pressure or requests to keep it quiet are warning signs; a genuine business can wait for you to check. If money was sent to the wrong account, contact your bank immediately – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

Recipients can be targeted as well: one known trick is an overpayment and then sends a request to refund the difference abroad. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof; only your own account shows what has arrived.

Why Zenith Bank PLC has an 8- and an 11-character code

Each SWIFT/BIC code starts with an 8-character core: four letters for the bank, two letters for the country and a two-character location code. Together, these eight characters make up ZEIBNGLA – the version you usually see online.

The 11-character version has three more characters for a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, they simply mean the head office, so ZEIBNGLAXXX and ZEIBNGLA are interchangeable.

Leave out spaces or dashes when you enter ZEIBNGLA; the code is always written in one block. A single character can send a payment to another bank, so copy it carefully.

Verifying the SWIFT code of Zenith Bank PLC

Have the recipient send you the account details directly from their online banking. Check that code against ZEIBNGLA on this page; if they differ, ask before you pay.

An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges. An error in the IBAN or account number is more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else.

Most online banking apps check the structure of IBANs, but that does not prove the account belongs to the right person. Some banks now check the payee name against the account before you confirm. A small test payment can be a sensible step for large sums despite the extra fee.

How up to date is this code?

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and update them regularly. It is possible that a code on this page is out of date after a merger or reorganisation. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory.

See our directory here as a helpful check and rely on the recipient or Zenith Bank PLC for the final confirmation. GoldexPay is independent of Zenith Bank PLC; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Found an error? Let us know through the contact page so we can correct it.

International transfers from Zenith Bank PLC: the real cost

If you send money to another country from Zenith Bank PLC, the fee you see is only part of what you pay. On top of the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks can take a cut, and when the money changes currency the bank usually applies a rate that is less favourable than the real market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the largest cost, and it is easy to miss. A simple test: set the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a bank, mainly because of the exchange rate. On GoldexPay you can compare the amount that arrives with different providers, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot. You can still use your account at Zenith Bank PLC to fund the transfer.

Incoming international payments to Zenith Bank PLC

If you expect money from abroad, send the payer a complete set of details. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code ZEIBNGLAXXX (or ZEIBNGLA) and, often, your address.

Some sending banks also ask for the bank’s address in Lagos. Double-check the details before you send them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

What lands in your account can be less than what was sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, Zenith Bank PLC may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.