Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria SWIFT Code: SCBLNGLA, BIC and International Transfer Guide
Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited operates within an international banking group, so SWIFT/BIC information can be particularly important when customers and businesses deal with cross-border payments.
The listed Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria SWIFT/BIC is SCBLNGLA. The eleven-character head-office form is SCBLNGLAXXX.
Standard Chartered Nigeria SWIFT Code
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Bank | Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited |
| SWIFT/BIC | SCBLNGLA |
| 11-character head-office BIC | SCBLNGLAXXX |
| Bank identifier | SCBL |
| Country | NG |
| Location | LA |
| Listed address | 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos |
The Difference Between SCBLNGLA and SCBLNGLAXXX
The first code contains eight characters. The second contains eleven.
SCBLNGLA identifies the institution and location. The additional XXX in SCBLNGLAXXX represents the head-office branch designation.
This distinction becomes relevant when an international banking form specifies the length of the BIC it accepts.
Why Standard Chartered Customers May Be Asked for a SWIFT Code
A foreign bank sending money to Nigeria needs to identify the receiving financial institution. The SWIFT/BIC provides that international identifier.
For a Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria customer, the beneficiary’s account details remain equally important. The SWIFT code does not identify the individual customer’s account.
International Transfer Information
A typical payment instruction may contain several separate pieces of information:
- Beneficiary name
- Beneficiary account number
- Bank name
- SWIFT/BIC
- Bank address
- Currency
- Intermediary or correspondent bank
- Purpose of payment
The exact requirements vary. A sender should not assume that every international payment uses the same fields.
How the BIC Is Read
The code SCBLNGLA can be divided as follows:
- SCBL — bank identifier.
- NG — Nigeria.
- LA — location identifier.
Appending XXX creates the head-office form.
Example: International Business Payment
Imagine a Nigerian company receives a service payment from a customer in Europe. The customer requests the company’s Standard Chartered Nigeria bank details.
The company can provide its official beneficiary information, including the account number and applicable SWIFT/BIC. The customer enters SCBLNGLA when the payment form requests the eight-character beneficiary-bank BIC.
If the sending system requires eleven characters, the head-office form is SCBLNGLAXXX.
If a correspondent bank is specified in the current instructions, the sender should enter that information in the appropriate intermediary fields.
Can the Standard Chartered Nigeria Code Be Used Instead of a Correspondent Code?
Not automatically.
A correspondent bank and a beneficiary bank have different roles. An international transfer can involve the correspondent bank as an intermediary and Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria as the beneficiary institution.
If the payment instructions contain multiple SWIFT codes, the sender should follow the field labels carefully.
Branch-Specific Codes
Do not assume that every Standard Chartered customer-facing location has its own SWIFT code. BICs can be assigned at institution, location or branch level, but a physical branch does not automatically receive an independent BIC.
If a branch-specific code is provided directly by the bank for a particular transaction, use that code. Otherwise, the verified institution-level BIC should not be modified.
SWIFT vs Sort Code
A SWIFT/BIC is intended for international financial identification. A sort code serves a different purpose in domestic banking and clearing systems.
The distinction matters because international payment forms can use terminology that resembles domestic banking forms.
What If the Sender Enters the Wrong BIC?
The payment can be delayed or rejected, or the banks involved may need to investigate and repair the payment instruction. Depending on the payment route, a returned or repaired transfer may also incur additional charges.
Before sending a large amount, the beneficiary should therefore provide current payment instructions rather than relying on a code found on an old invoice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria’s SWIFT code?
The listed SWIFT/BIC is SCBLNGLA.
What is the 11-character Standard Chartered Nigeria code?
The head-office form is SCBLNGLAXXX.
What does SCBLNGLA mean?
SCBL is the bank identifier, NG identifies Nigeria and LA is the location component.
Is SCBLNGLA the same as an account number?
No. The BIC identifies the bank, while the account number identifies the customer’s account.
Do I need a SWIFT code for domestic transfers?
Normally, no. Domestic Nigerian transfers use domestic payment identifiers.
Final Takeaway
Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited uses the listed SWIFT/BIC SCBLNGLA, with SCBLNGLAXXX as the eleven-character head-office representation. For an international payment, the code should be combined with the recipient’s exact account details and the appropriate correspondent-bank instructions.