13 Benefits of Linking BVN to Bank Account In Nigeria

BVN means Bank Verification Bank. It’s one of the security measures introduced by the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN).

You can use the USSD code *565*0# to get the 11-digit number displayed on your mobile phone within a maximum of five seconds. It attracts charges. The same code can be used to retrieve it if you forgot your

The USSD code works on MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9Mobile or any GSM lines linked to your bank account.

Categories of Bank Verification Number

1. BVN for Individual
2. BVN for Corporate Account

So, what are the benefits of linking your BVN to your bank accounts?

1) To provide additional security for account holders.

2) It is to ensure that account holders are known by their banker in what CBN calls, “Know Your Customer” principle.

3) To give a unified identity to account holders across all the banks in Nigeria, meaning BVN code can be used as a means of identification in any bank in Nigeria.

4) To reduce queues in banking halls.

5) To reduce fraud that may arise from impersonation.

6) To checkmate and curb identity theft.

7) The project is to ensure accountability.

8) To increase the effectiveness of banking operations.

9) It is to give customers access to future credit facilities.

10) It is also meant to boost financial inclusion which the CBN has been committed to.

11) It resolves the problem of authentication.

12) To checkmate money laundering activities.

13) To build confidence between banks and their customers.

Who came up with the idea?

Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bankers Committee came up with BVN project, which came into being in February 2014 as a result of a successful partnership between the apex bank CBN and the Bankers Committee.

BVN enrollment process:

1. Walk into any branches of your bank.
2. Request for BVN enrollment form from customer service officer
3. Fill the form and head straight to where the enrollment is being done
4. Present yourself for data capturing like fingerprint and facial image
5. You are issued with an acknowledgment slip also known as enrollment receipt which contains the registration ID like ticket ID, name of the bank you registered, your name, date, and time the registration was done.
6. You get a unique BVN within 24 hours through SMS notification after the system confirms the enrollment

These are the details you are expected to fill:

• Surname
• Middle name
• First name,
• Account number,
• Means of identification: you can use your INEC voters card, or national Identity No, or any other verifiable means of identification.

Did you change your name due to marital status?

If there is a change in your phone number, or you want to correct your date of birth or update your name as a result of marital status, here is how to get it done:

Some of the reasons you might want to update your BVN data are:

• Error in your date of birth
• Change of address
• Change of phone number
• Change of name as a result of marital status

Whatever the reasons are, we got you covered in this guide, see the requirements to update your BVN below:

• Date of birth of declaration of age if there is an error
• Court affidavit
• ID card (Voter card, NIMC, international passport)
• Marriage certificate
• Newspaper publication page for your change of name (for married women)
• Letter to the bank addressed to branch manager

Update and Correct Your Details as follows:

To get this done, take the above requirements to your bank including a valid regulatory identity to complete the BVN correction form.

Your BVN phone number and name should be updated within 48-72 working hours.

NOTE: BVN registration and correction is free

How do I register:

Visit any branch of a bank where you have an account. If you’re just opening an account, you can do it alongside account opening. It is one of the requirements for account opening.

ECObank Account

Two methods are available for you to link your BVN with the Ecobank account number, very simple and straightforward.

1. Visiting any of the branches of EcoBank and request for BVN linker form
2. Using USSD code to link your BVN to EcoBank account number.

Via USSD code

• Dial *326*9# on the mobile phone number recognised by your account number.
• “Enter your BVN number” .
• Input your 11-digit BVN number and send, then you get a reply,
• “Your BVN has been received”

Are you having an issue with linking your BVN with Ecobank? Use any of the supports below to resolve whatever problem you’re facing:

• Call Ecobank: 0700 500 0000
• Ecobank support email: ENGContactcentre@ecobank.com
• Ecobank WhatsApp No: (234) 808 760 3717
• Chat with our Customer Care Executive on: www.ecobank.com or via your Ecobank Mobile App
• Or visit any of the nearest Ecobank branches to you

Note:

No need of re-send it more than once, if you do what you get is, “Your BVN validation is pending, please try again later, call our contact centre or visit any of our branches for confirmation.”

So, you have to wait for the bank to process it, but if you need it urgently then you have to visit any of the EcoBank bank’s branches.

Keystone Bank Account

This is one of the simplest, simply head straight to Keystone BVN linking page, enter your account number, enter your BVN and click submit

Heritage Bank:

To link your BVN to your heritage bank account, simply head straight to Heritage Bank’s BVN linker Portal Here.

• Enter account number
• Click verify the account number
• OTP will be sent to the phone number associated with your account, enter it
• Enter your BVN
• Submit the form, that’s all

Wema Bank Account via BVN Linker Portal

In order to simplify the way account holders link their BVN, Wema bank designed BVN Portal, also known as Wema Bank BVN portal, which enables customers to link their BVN to an existing Wema Bank account.

Requirements:

• Head straight to WEMA Bank BVN linking page (apps.wemabank.com/bvn/)
• Your Name

• Your bank account is also known as NUBAN

• The email address linked to your wema bank account

• The phone number recognised by your wema bank account.

• Account Name

• Your 11-digit BVN Number.

Click on proceed, that’s all.

Standard Chartered Bank Account

You can easily link your Bank Verification Number, BVN, to your Standard Chartered Bank Account…it’s not as difficult as you think.

But first, let’s see how you can easily link your BVN to your Standard Chartered Bank Account. The steps here are for those who got their BVN number from another bank. If you bank with different banks in Nigeria, it means you have to link them using your BVN number.

Available methods:

• By contacting the 24-hour customer service centre
• By using the Standard Chartered Bank BVN linker form.

By using BVN linker form

You implement the linking process by yourself by visiting the official online banking platform of Standard Chartered bank.

When you open the home page, login, click on “submit Your Bank Verification Number”

Then provide the following details on the registration portal

• First name
• Middle Name
• Last Name
• Mobile number
• Account number
• Date of birth: day, month, year
• Which bank you registered for BVN
• Your 11-digit BVN number
• Click, next

That’s it!

You can also do that on Standard Chartered Bank online banking.

My previous articles on Bank Verification Number can be found under the label BVN

Union Bank:

• Head straight to the BVN linking page at: webgateway.unionbankng.com/BVNaccountLinkage/
• Enter Union Account Number and Click proceed
• Enter your BVN
• Click submit

Stanbic IBTC Account Number

To link your Stanbic IBTC with your BVN, follow these two simple methods:

• Fill the BVN form by heading straight to stanbicibtcbank.com/nigeriabank/personal/ways-to-bank/bvn-registrations#
• On this page, click on CALL ME BACK to access the bvn form
• Enter your details
• In the comment section enter your BVN and your phone number associated with your account.
• Wait for customer support to reach out to you.

That’s all

Alternatively, text your BVN in SMS format to 30909

First City Monument Bank (FCMB)

The good thing about FCMB is that it has BVN agents in its branch spread across Nigeria, making it simple to link your BVN to your bank account within minutes.

The two major ways to get this done are:

• Contact FCMB BVN agent
• Send your BVN number and account no to customerservice@fcmb.com

Sterling Bank:

There are also two simplest ways to link your BVN to Sterling Bank

1. By sending your BVN and account details to customercare@sterlingbankng.ng
2. By contacting Sterling support on WhatsApp at +234 9060006449

Guaranty Trust Holding Company

The three major methods to link your BVN to your GTCO formerly GTBank are:

• ATM centre
• Online Platform
• USSD Code

Via ATM

• Insert your GTBank card in ATM and input your four digit PIN
• Select “BVN Linking” option
• Enter your 11-digit BVN number and select “Proceed”
• The ATM will display the BVN number and request you to validate
• Once the BVN number is validated as correct, select “Proceed”
• Insert your PIN to validate and submit

That’s all.

Online banking

• Go to Gtbank BVN linking Portal
• Input your GTBank NUBAN
• Select a Bank where your BVN was issued
• Input the BVN number obtained from another Bank, then click on submit

Via USSD code

• On the phone number associated with your account number dial *737*20*Your BVN#
• Send, that’s all

First Bank

The two major ways to get this done are:

1. By visiting FirstBank branch office
2. Through text message

Branch office

Fill and submit the BVN enrolment form.

If you just want to register for BVN, you will need to provide a valid means of identification, which could be any of the following (International Passport, Drivers’ Licence, Voters’ Registration Card or National ID Card)

Via Text Message

• Text BVN#account number#BVNCode to 08076664444
• Wait for few minutes, you would receive a text message stating your BVN has been successfully submitted for processing.

That’s all

Access Bank

There are three ways to link your BVN to Access Bank account number, viz:

1. Via the bank’s website
2. SMS
3. Internet Banking

Via SMS

Text BVN, leave a space your account number and BVN number to 20121
For example BVN 23456780030 34940574625 to 20121.

Internet Banking

•  Login on the Internet Banking platform
• Select the Service Requests Menu
• Select Initiate Service Request
• Click Link BVN, enter it and validate

Zenith Bank:

If you have enrolled for BVN with other Nigerian Banks or authorized third party, Zenith Bank makes it easy for you to link your BVN details to your Zenith Bank account through four simple methods:

1. Internet banking
2. Zenith Direct
3. Zenith USSD Code
4. Zenith bank’s website

Let’s discuss them one after the other

Internet banking

1. Login to internet banking
2. Click on Account summary on the left pane
3. Click on BVN update
4. Enter your BVN and click submit

Zenith direct

1. Download BVN update form (click here to download the form)
2. Fill it out
3. Mail to zenithdirect@zenithbank.com
4. Call our 24/7 contact centre on +234-1-2927000, or +234-1-2787000

Zenith USSD code

Dial *966*YourBVN# from the GSM number on which you receive transaction alerts (Individual Naira account only)

Via Zenith bank’s website

1. Go to www.zenithbank.com/bvnupdate
2. Enter your Zenith [NUBAN] Account Number
3. Enter your BVN
4. Enter the provided Security Code and click Validate
5. On successful validation enter your token details to update and activate your account

United Bank for Africa (UBA)

Dial *919*6# on the mobile number linked to your account and follow the prompts

Fidelity

There are four available means to update your BVN on Fidelity bank

1. Through USSD code
2. Via email
3. Via call
4. Via Fidelity online banking

USSD Code

To update your BVN, dial *770*02#

Via email:

Send your account details, BVN, Mobile number, date/bank of enrolment and date of birth via mail to true.serve@fidelitybank.ng

Via call

Call 080034335489 for update.

Internet banking

Login to the internet banking portal and click on the “no BVN” link

Whatever the case is, there may be a need for you to change the phone number associated with your BVN, all you need to do is visit one of the branches of your bank, following the guide below