Give Your December And January A Head Start

If you’re familiar with Nigerian festive seasons, you already know that December and January are two very different financial periods.

December is for parties, gifts, trips, owambe, family and generally saying yes to things you probably didn’t budget for. Then January comes and reminds you that all those expenses were not in fact free. 

You can’t stop December from being December, but you can decide what happens to some of your money before then.

That’s where a Locked Fixed Deposit on Kuda comes in. 

So if you’re already making plans and trying to make both periods more enjoyable, here’s how to get started.

From 1 September to 31 October 2026, Premium customers can lock between ₦100,000 and ₦5,000,000 for three months at a promotional rate of 20% per annum.

The standard rate is up to 16% per annum, so this is a limited-time opportunity to earn more on your locked savings.

20% per annum does not mean you earn 20% of your money in three months

If your money is locked for three months, the interest you earn during this period is about 5% of the amount you lock.

For example, if you lock ₦1,000,000, you’ll earn about ₦50,000 in interest before withholding tax. 

Get your money after three months

If you lock your money in September, it matures in December, but if you lock it in October, it matures in January.

Your exact maturity date will show on the Kuda app so you’ll know exactly when your money will be unlocked.

How much can you lock?

You can lock between ₦100,000 and ₦5,000,000.

There’s also a limit of one lock per customer, so choose your amount carefully. You can’t split your money across several locks or add more money to your locked savings.

Locked means locked

Once you lock your money, you can’t withdraw it before it matures.

So only lock an amount you know you won’t need for the next three months. If you’re going to need that ₦100,000 for rent, school fees or an emergency next week, it’s better to use any of the other Kuda Pockets so you’re not stranded.

The 20% per annum rate is exclusive to Premium users

If you are already on Premium, you can create your locked savings on the Kuda app during this promo window (1 September to 31 October 2026). If you haven’t unlocked Premium yet, here’s how to.

You need to earn 50 Kuda Coins to unlock Premium.

If your Kuda account is on Tier 3, you can start earning coins by spending and saving on Kuda:

• Spend: Get 1 coin for every transaction of ₦1,000 or more. This includes things like transfers, bill payments and airtime purchases.
• Save: Get 25 coins if you maintain an average balance of at least ₦50,000 in the previous month.
• Save more: Get 50 coins if you maintain an average balance of at least ₦500,000 in the previous month. This automatically unlocks Premium.

On Premium, you also get cashback when you pay bills, smart spending reports, quicker responses from our customer support team, exclusive app themes and unlimited profile picture updates, discounts and offers from brands you know.

To keep your Premium benefits, you need to earn at least 50 coins each month.

Before you lock some money

Here’s a quick check before you get started:

• The promo runs from 1 September to 31 October 2026
• You must be a Premium user
• You can lock between ₦100,000 and ₦5,000,000
• You can only create one promo lock
• The lock lasts for three months
• You can’t withdraw the money before the maturity date 
• The promo rate is 20% per annum, not 20% over three months
• Tax is automatically deducted from your interest
• Your exact maturity date will show on the Kuda app before you confirm
• If you want your money to mature in December, lock it before 30 September

December is coming, and January will come right after it.

Instead of waiting to figure out where the money will come from, give yourself a head start now.