How to Check Your BVN in Nigeria

Forgot your BVN? Dial *565*0# from the phone number you registered with, and your 11-digit BVN shows on screen in seconds. It works on all networks and costs ₦20.

If your old line is dead, or you'd rather not pay, your bank's app shows the same number for free. This is the official NIBSS code, confirmed in October 2026.

Quick facts

How to check your BVN on MTN, Airtel, Glo or 9mobile

*565*0# is a shared USSD service that NIBSS runs with every Nigerian network, so the steps are identical whichever SIM you're holding, as long as it's the one tied to your BVN record.

1. Insert the SIM you registered your BVN with. MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile all work the same way.
2. Dial *565*0# and press call.
3. Wait for the prompt; you'll be charged ₦20 for the lookup.
4. Your 11-digit BVN appears on the screen within seconds. Write it down or screenshot it.

Want to check someone else's BVN, like a tenant, a new business partner or a loan applicant? Dial *565*1#, enter the BVN, and it returns the registered name so you can confirm they match (NIBSS USSD Validation Services).

Check it for free through your bank's app

If you'd rather not pay the ₦20, open the app of any bank where you have an active account. GTBank, Access, UBA, Zenith, Kuda, Opay and most others show it the same way:

1. Log in to your banking app.
2. Go to Profile, My Account or Settings.
3. Look for "BVN" or "Account Details". Your BVN is usually shown in full, or you can tap to reveal it.

This works because every account you hold is linked to the same BVN, whichever bank issued it. Your BVN is also the first thing Moniepoint, OPay and PalmPay ask for when you apply to run a POS agent stand: see what else starting a POS business in Nigeria takes. Loan apps often ask for it too, but you don't legally need a BVN to borrow, so check whether the app is on the FCCPC's list of licensed loan apps before you share anything. Your bank will also ask for it before you can buy Treasury bills in Nigeria through its treasury desk.

How many BVNs can one person have?

Just one. Your BVN is tied to your fingerprints and face, not to a bank or SIM, so NIBSS's system blocks a second registration for the same person. You can open accounts at ten banks and they'll all sit under that one BVN. What you can't do is get a new one because you lost the old phone line. For that, see the fix below.

Fixing the "no record found" error

If *565*0# comes back empty or says there's no record, it's almost never because your BVN doesn't exist. The usual causes:

• You're dialling from the wrong line. The code only works on the exact number your BVN is registered to. If your BVN went in with an MTN number and you're trying from a Glo SIM, it won't find anything.
• The registered line is dead or swapped out. Common once a SIM has been inactive long enough to be recycled, or after you've switched networks.
• A typo during enrolment left your number slightly off in NIBSS's records.

If the line is simply gone, you have two free ways in:

1. Call the NIBSS BVN Helpdesk on 0700-2255-226 (toll-free) or email bvn@nibss-plc.com.ng with your full name, date of birth, the phone number on file and your email address.
2. Visit any bank branch with a valid ID. They can pull up your BVN and confirm your details on the spot.

Why changing your BVN phone number got harder

Here's the part most "how to check BVN" guides miss. From 1 May 2026, the Central Bank of Nigeria restricts you to one lifetime change of the phone number linked to your BVN, under a circular issued to banks on 13 March 2026 (NIBSS: what CBN's new BVN regulation means; Guardian Nigeria). The rule exists to make SIM-swap fraud harder, since your BVN phone number is usually also where your bank sends OTPs.

Practically, that means:

• You still can't change your BVN phone number online, in an app or by USSD. You have to visit a bank branch with your ID, your old BVN details and the new SIM.
• Because the change only works once, don't use it on a temporary number. Use a line you're confident you'll keep.
• If you've already used your one change and lost that number too, the branch and the NIBSS helpdesk above can still help. The limit is on changing the registered number, not on getting your BVN.

Is BVN registration free in Nigeria?

Yes. First-time BVN enrolment for anyone inside Nigeria has always been free, and the CBN has reconfirmed there's no hidden charge for it (Arise News). If anyone (an agent, a "helper" at the bank, or someone online) asks you to pay to register your BVN inside Nigeria, that's a scam.

It's different for Nigerians abroad. The CBN's remote enrolment platform, NRBVN, charges a processing fee reported at around $50, covering the biometric and identity checks done remotely. The older route, booking a slot at a diaspora enrolment centre through VFS Global or OIS, charges a location-specific fee instead, from about £30 in London to roughly $45 in the US (NIBSS: Diaspora Enrolment). Confirm the exact current fee for your city before you pay, since it changes by location.

Scams and mistakes to avoid

• Fake BVN "check" or "update" websites and apps. The only numbers that give you your BVN are *565*0#, your own bank's app, the NIBSS helpdesk, or your bank branch. Nothing else needs your BVN, date of birth and phone number together to "verify" you.
• Agents outside banks offering to "sort" your BVN for a fee. Registration inside Nigeria is free; anyone charging you at the point of enrolment is pocketing money that should never leave your hand.
• Giving your BVN out over the phone to unsolicited callers. Banks don't call you asking you to read out your BVN or an OTP. Treat that like you would a request for your ATM PIN.

If you're also sorting out your tax records, see our guide to getting a TIN in Nigeria with your NIN, and read what Nigeria's new tax rules mean for how closely your BVN-linked accounts are watched. No NIN yet, or lost your slip? See what NIN registration costs and how to retrieve yours. Your BVN or NIN is also all you need to open a mobile account like Moniepoint in minutes, without a branch queue. If you're receiving money from abroad, you need the same BVN-linked account to move PayPal funds into a Nigerian bank, and Payoneer checks it before a naira withdrawal goes through: see our guide on Payoneer fees and withdrawals in Nigeria. Once your accounts are in order, see what you take home with our Nigeria PAYE calculator. A fund manager will also ask for your BVN if you want to put spare cash into a money market fund in Nigeria. A stockbroker will ask for it too, before they'll open you a trading account: see how to buy shares on the Nigerian Exchange. For more guides like this, visit our Nigeria hub.

Frequently asked questions

What is the code to check my BVN on any network?

Dial *565*0# from the phone number registered to your BVN. It costs ₦20 and works on MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile, since it's a NIBSS service shared across all networks rather than something each telco runs separately.

Is it possible to check your BVN for free?

Yes. Open your bank's app and check your profile or account details page. Your BVN is usually shown there for free, because it's already on file with your account.

Can I have more than one BVN?

No. Your BVN is tied to your fingerprints and photograph, so NIBSS's system is designed to stop a second enrolment. You can link many bank accounts to it, but you only ever have one BVN.

Why does *565*0# say "no record found"?

Almost always because you're dialling from a different line than the one your BVN is registered to, or that original line is no longer active. Try your bank's app instead, or contact the NIBSS helpdesk on 0700-2255-226.

How do I change the phone number linked to my BVN?

Visit a bank branch with your ID, your BVN and your new SIM. It can't be done online, in an app or by USSD. Since 1 May 2026, the CBN only allows this change once in your lifetime, so use a number you'll keep.

Does it cost anything to register for a BVN in Nigeria?

No, not in Nigeria, where registration has always been free. Nigerians abroad pay a processing fee through the NRBVN platform or a diaspora centre, which varies by location, so check the current amount before you pay.