What Is BVN And Its Uses In Nigeria

   What’s a BVN?

   The BVN is an 11 digit number that acts as your universal ID in all banks in Nigeria. Think of it as a socio-security number but for the banking industry. It ensures you can engage in transactions at any Point of Banking operations.

Another way to think about the BVN is like a university matric number. When every student gets admitted into the tertiary institution, they get allocated a number. That number is your identification in the school’s system until the day you graduate. You may have an impressive name like Thomas Pink, but the school isn’t going to call you that. If for some reason you get allotted the numbers LAG/419/666, well too bad. To the system, you’re now Mr 419.

Bottom line: your BVN is your ID in the banking system.

  It’s one BVN per person

Listen to this carefully. You are not meant to have more than one BVN. If you do, you’re going to end up on EFCC watchlist. Seriously though, one person – one BVN. Remember the matric number analogy? Yes, it applies here. When you take a course in another department, or you switch faculties, your matric number will not change. The same way, your BVN does not change from bank to bank.

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   NOTE.

  Let’s say you have three accounts in three different banks. Let’s call them, bank A, bank B, and bank C. Here’s what you do: walk into Bank A with any acceptable form of ID – driver’s license, national ID card, Voter’s card, National passport. Register for the BVN. Wait for 24 hours and get the number sent to you via SMS. Take that number to Bank B. Tell whoever attends to you, I got a BVN and I wanna link my account. LEARN MORE