Key Takeaways:
1. Rapid growth & scope: As of January 2025, Nigeria had about 64.8 million BVNs enrolled (up 2.14% from end-2024). BVN is a mandatory biometric ID for all bank customers.
2. Distinct identity systems: The BVN is an 11-digit unique bank ID, different from the National Identification Number (NIN). Each person’s BVN is tied to their biometrics and is the same across all their bank accounts.
3. Security & compliance: BVN gives every customer a single, verifiable identity in the banking system, protecting accounts and reducing fraud. Nigerian regulators require BVN for KYC (Know Your Customer) and credit profiling, so businesses use it to verify customers’ identities and comply with banking laws.
Introduction
As BVN adoption grows, individuals and businesses alike are searching for how to check BVN and use it for secure verification.
The Bank Verification Number (BVN) is one of Nigeria’s most significant digital identity initiatives. Introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to enhance security and combat fraud, it now underpins KYC and compliance processes across the financial sector.
This article answers the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about BVN and explains how businesses can leverage it for identity verification and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on BVN
Q1. Are BVN and NIN the same?
Answer: No. The Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN) are different ID systems.
The BVN is an 11-digit biometric ID issued by banks (via NIBSS) to identify bank account holders. It links your fingerprints and photo so banks can verify transactions.
The NIN is also an 11-digit number, but it is issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as a general national ID.
Q2. How many digits is a BVN number?
Answer: A BVN is exactly 11 digits long. For example, Access Bank’s website clearly states, “The Bank Verification Number (BVN) is an 11-digit number used to identify individuals across the Nigerian banking industry.” . This 11-digit code is unique to each person.
Q3. Can a BVN be changed?
Answer: In general, a BVN cannot be changed, because it is permanently tied to your biometric identity. Once assigned, your BVN stays with you for life.
The only exception is in case of an enrollment error. “BVN may change if incorrectly issued by a bank,” meaning the bank can correct a mistake (for example, if personal details were wrong at enrollment). Aside from such corrections, the BVN itself remains fixed.
Q4. Can BVN be done twice (duplicate enrollment)?
Answer: No. Each individual can enroll for only one BVN. The Central Bank of Nigeria designed the BVN system so that duplicates are not possible.
As one regulatory guideline explains, the BVN provides a unique customer ID “irrespective of which bank the account is domiciled in,” and this ensures “the customer would not be able to enroll twice.”
In other words, once your fingerprints and face are in the BVN database, any new enrollment with the same biometric data will be detected and blocked. This prevents one person from having two different BVNs.
Q5. Why is BVN important?
Answer: The BVN is critically important for security, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s banking system. Key benefits include:
1. Unique identity across banks: A BVN gives each customer “a unique identity that can be verified across the Nigerian banking industry.”
2. Account protection: Because it is linked to your biometrics, the BVN helps protect your accounts from unauthorized access. GTBank notes that your BVN helps protect accounts and “reduces fraudulent activities.” Even if someone knows your account number or PIN, they cannot easily impersonate you without your fingerprint or face match via the BVN system.
3. Fraud tracking: The CBN Governor and directors have emphasized that BVN is central to anti-fraud efforts. Officials note that BVN is required for KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures in banks and has helped in “tracking, identifying, and investigating fraudulent financial transactions.”
4. Credit profiling: BVN also facilitates credit operations. With BVN, lenders can quickly verify identities and check someone’s banking history (e.g., outstanding loans, repayment history) across all banks.
5. Regulatory mandate: The Nigerian government has made BVN mandatory. All new and existing bank accounts must be linked to the customer’s BVN; accounts without a valid BVN face restrictions or closure.
Q6. Who implemented BVN in Nigeria?
Answer: The BVN was implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in partnership with NIBSS and all licensed banks. The initiative was led by the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee as a unified system.
Q7. Who introduced it to Nigeria?
Answer: The BVN scheme was introduced in 2014 under then-CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The formal launch date was 14 February 2014, when the CBN Governor and Bankers’ Committee announced the centralized biometric ID system for banking.
Q8. Which bank’s BVN starts with 22?
Answer: BVNs are not bank-specific, so no particular bank “owns” a BVN prefix. Early on, some BVNs happened to start with “222…,” but this is not a formal bank code.
In the BVN system, NIBSS simply generates a unique number for each person regardless of bank. In short, a BVN (even one starting with 22) is tied to a customer’s identity, not to a single bank. So you cannot tell the customer’s bank just from the BVN digits.
Q9. How to check BVN code (retrieve BVN)?
Answer: If you need to retrieve or check your BVN, you have several options:
1. USSD (any network): Dial the NIBSS USSD code *565*0# on the phone number that you used during BVN enrollment. Follow the prompt to confirm (a small fee of ₦20 is charged). Your BVN will be displayed on the screen. This works on MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile—any network—as long as it’s your registered mobile number.
2. Bank branch: Visit your bank where you enrolled for BVN. The bank staff can look up your BVN for you. You will need valid ID and your account details.
3. NIBSS portal: NIBSS provides an online BVN lookup tool on its website (via NIBSS’s official site). You may need to enter your name, date of birth, and phone number to retrieve your BVN.
The quickest method is usually the USSD code (5650#).
Q10. What is the BVN code (USSD) for Access Bank?
Answer: To check BVN on Access Bank, use Access Bank’s USSD menu: dial *901*0# from the line linked to your Access Bank account. This will instantly display your BVN (after you enter your PIN).
Access Bank also allows BVN retrieval via their mobile app or by SMS (text BVN [Acct#] [BVN] to 20121 if you already know your BVN), but the easiest is 9010#.
Q11. What is the BVN code (USSD) for UBA?
Answer: For United Bank for Africa (UBA), the BVN check code is *919*6#. Dial this from the phone number registered to your UBA account, and your BVN will be shown on the screen.
Q12. What is the BVN code for First Bank?
Answer: First Bank customers can dial *565*0# on the phone number linked to their account. First Bank does not have a special BVN code separate from 5650#; this same code retrieves BVN for First Bank and other banks.
How Businesses Can Use BVN for Secure Identity Verification
Nigerian businesses, especially banks, fintechs, lending platforms, and telecom companies, have embraced the BVN as a core part of customer identity verification and compliance. Here’s how BVN is used:
1. Enhanced KYC and onboarding:
Companies collect a customer’s BVN as a government-approved ID. They then verify the BVN against the official databases (which contain the customer’s biometrics and details).
This allows instant confirmation that the person is who they claim to be. For example, when opening a new account or issuing a loan, a firm can send a BVN query to NIBSS or an accredited API provider. The returned data (name, DOB, etc.) must match the customer’s information, completing the KYC check.
2. Preventing fraud:
Since the BVN links to unique biometrics, firms use it to reduce identity theft. If someone tries to impersonate a customer, the fingerprints/facial data won’t match.
Many digital services (mobile money, online lending, etc.) require BVN verification exactly for this reason. Moreover, because the BVN covers all of a person’s bank accounts, a fraudster cannot easily evade detection by switching accounts. As a result, businesses can flag suspicious activity by BVN and block it.
3. Credit and risk management:
Lenders and credit bureaus use BVN to pull an individual’s financial footprint. When a customer applies for credit, the lender can retrieve their BVN-linked history (e.g., number of loans, repayment status) from authorized data providers.
This helps in underwriting and fraud checks and enables better customer risk assessment.
4. Employment and background checks:
Employers in Nigeria also leverage BVN for identity verification of staff and job applicants.
For example, employers can ask candidates for their BVN and run it through a BVN lookup to ensure the person’s name and birthdate match the BVN record. This helps verify qualifications and prevent identity fraud in hiring.
In short, the BVN serves as a secure, central identity that banks and many other organizations can query to confirm identity details.
By integrating BVN checks into their systems, businesses achieve stronger customer authentication and comply with Nigerian regulations on customer identification. This underpins safer transactions and builds trust with regulators and clients alike.
Conclusion
The Bank Verification Number (BVN) remains central to Nigeria’s identity ecosystem, ensuring trust and transparency across financial services. For businesses, especially those in banking, fintech, and other regulated sectors, leveraging BVN data is just the beginning of building a secure and compliant customer lifecycle.
At Youverify, we empower organizations with more than just BVN checks; we provide a unified compliance and fraud prevention platform that brings together KYC, KYB, AML screening, and ongoing monitoring in one place. Our end-to-end infrastructure enables compliance teams, fraud analysts, and IT departments to:
- Verify and authenticate customer identities in real time.
- Detect and investigate fraud efficiently through connected data.
- Maintain full regulatory compliance across onboarding and transactions.
By unifying these processes, Youverify helps businesses move beyond fragmented verification tools, delivering a single, intelligent platform that enhances decision-making, reduces operational risks, and safeguards trust at scale.
In a landscape where over 64 million BVNs anchor digital identity in Nigeria, Youverify ensures that every organization can confidently verify, investigate, and mitigate fraud while staying compliant, all from one platform. To get started, book a demo today.