There are many fuses about those whose National Identity Numbers (NIN) were generated when they registered for the Bank Verification Number (BVN).
One such widely circulated message on social media and messaging apps since 2020 is:
“So many Nigerians have NIN and they are unaware. The truth is that everyone that did their BVN when it was introduced in 2014 has NIN automatically assigned to them.”
The message further instructed the affected people to simply *346# with the same number they registered for BVN to retrieve their NIN.
How true is this claim?
It is a half-truth. NIN can only be generated when such 11 digits have been certified by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
If you have a NIN that’s BVN-generated, dialling *346# will only return an error because it has not been validated by the commission.
Unfortunately, some prospective applicants for UTME face similar issues, but NIMC has provided a means of solving the issue.
Interestingly, NIMC has made us understand that there are two types of NINs
- NIMC-generated NIN
- BVN-generated NIN
NIMC-generated NIN
The NIMC-generated NINs are the digit issued by the commission during registration which will be used for issuing the national ID card at a later date. If you have this type, you shouldn’t have any issues except if you want to make corrections to your NIMC data
BVN-generated NIN
BVN-generated NINs are the identity numbers generated when you registered for the bank verification exercise a few years ago.
Should this be an issue?
In a country that effectively utilises the use of technology, all that the NIMC should have done was to get the BNV-generated NIN from the financial institution automatically validate them and send the update to the owners.
But since it isn’t done that way, the user will have to take actions for the generated NIN to be validated by NIMC as discussed below.
How To Activate BVN-Generated NIN
But the commission says NO, it must be manual. So, if you are among those who already have NIN which was generated by your bank during the BVN registration exercise, here is what you need to do:
- Visit NIMC centre with your BVN
- Request NIN validation form
- Fill in your details and submit
- You will be contacted
The commission said recently that Subscriber Identification Modules would not be linked with National Identity Numbers generated through Bank Verification Numbers.
It also called on the affected individuals with BVN-generated NINs to visit NIMC offices to validate their NINs, stating that BVN-generated NIN would not work on its newly inaugurated NIMC mobile app.
“You must complete your NIN registration even if your BVN has generated a NIN,” the commission stated.
“If your NIN was generated due to the BVN record harmonisation with the National Identity Database, you will not have access to the NIMC mobile app and your NIN-SIM integration will be invalid. “Kindly visit an enrollment centre to complete your NIN registration.”
I have bvn generated NIN and find it difficult to update it, because i accidentally lost 3 of my fingers.Please how to update my NIN to enable me renew my International passport
Sorry Mr Victor,
This is a special case, you will have to visit NIMC centre closer to you. We have the list of NIMC centres in all the state capitals in Nigeria. Find the one that is closer to you to update your NIN
I lost the mobile number I used to register my BVN. I got another one, and went to my bank to change it as instructed. After a period of time I tried generate my nin through the new mobile number I newly link/changed to my BVN. I later that the Nin generated wasn’t mine after I visited a bank for an account upgrade. In Fact it carries someone else face and name. Pls how do I correct this?
Good afternoon sir pls has that issues been resolved. Kindly message me on WhatsApp I am in the same issues right now I need assistance on how you go 09021156… thank u
I went to NiN office to register this year, after doing all the necessary things I surpose to , they told me that computer is showing that I have done it before, but I haven’t, till now I cannot be able to get my nin and this thing is coursing a big problem to me please I need help!, how do I get my nin like every other Nigerian
If they said you’ve done it before, tell them to print it for you. It’s simple.
Thank you for your wonderful piece of information please help me my problem is that I have bvn generated nin now my sim card is lost please how can I get my nin back
The number I use for bvn generated to register my nin has been lost, any time I try to use my bvn it we be writing invalid, pls help me
Government should save us from government staffs, I went to surulere LG at onilegogo for my NIN, the gave me bank generated which I used for like 3 years.
Now the telecommunications blocked my SIM cards because it was bank generated, I went back to same LG to fix it and the asked me to pay 7k which they later reduce to 5k where as other NIMC centre agreed to collect 3.5k.
This is so pathetic and inconveniencing.
Hello!!!
I was told in the bank to go and validate my nin, but am confused because I have been using it for some tasks and I haven’t heard any complain like that.
Please how can I go with this?
I lost my phone and I can’t get the Sim but I now the phone number and I have my number so how can i do
How can I retrieve my bvn generated NIN. CAUSE the sim i registered is missing or can I use the sim link to my bank account
I did my NIN since last two year but I can not get it since then I don’t know what is wrong ,and they have blocked my line last week,I went back to mtn office again to do another one but they said I have done in it before
Reply
I generated my NIN via bvn, now I’m in diaspora.
How do I activate the nin
I can’t find my nin number
I think my nin is generated with my BVN and the painful things is that my Etisalat I use to register them has lost please help me out on how to retrieve it back olajide segun
Visit Etisalat office nearest to you to retrieve it.
Idid my NIN since last year but I can not get it since then I don’t know what is wrong ,and they have blocked my line last week,I went back to mtn office again to do another one but they said I have done in it before
Please my NIN was generated through my BVN. My lines has been banned and I try linking it, is writing unable to charge. Please I need solution
Pls i have collected NIN number when I take It to MTN office I was told the NIN is BVN generated NIN that can not be validate that I need to update NIN pls I don’t understand and I register from nimc
I have NIN but don’t know the number and don’t have the SIM anymore but I have my BVN number my name is Ugwu Ifeanyi Stephen
I did my NIN in Enugu state at Emene
I lost my phone with the sim card I use in the registration of my bvn, I tried so many times to retrieve my lost Airtel phone number but all in vain. Now that my NIN is then generated through my bvn, is it possible for me to use my present Airtel phone number to retrieve my NIN? If yes, please help me on how to get it.
You can send us your name and date of birth accurately as you used during enrollment to help you retrieve nin
I used bvn generated to register my NIN and I want to do the correction for the date of birth did I need to pay #15,000 for the correction or I should go and register another NIN.