How to Check Your BVN in Nigeria

You can check your Bank Verification Number (BVN) in seconds by dialling the NIBSS USSD code *565*0# from the phone number registered to your BVN. The service returns your BVN on the spot and costs a small fee.

• A phone with the SIM and phone number you registered for your BVN
• Airtime or a balance to cover the service fee
• An acceptable means of identification, as prescribed for enrolment, if you are enrolling rather than checking

1. Pick up the phone that holds the number you registered for your BVN. The code only works from that line.
2. Dial *565*0#.
3. Read the reply. The BVN is provided to you on the screen.
4. Note the N20 service fee that applies to the check.
5. If no BVN comes back, check whether that phone number is linked to more than one BVN. Where a number is linked to more than one BVN, no BVN is returned.
6. If you have never enrolled and have no BVN at all, walk into any branch of your bank, fill and submit the BVN enrolment form, and present yourself for data capturing such as fingerprint and facial image.
7. Collect the acknowledgment slip with the transaction ID that is issued to you.
8. Wait for confirmation. Within 24 hours the system confirms your application, your BVN is generated, and you receive an SMS for pickup.

• The check only works from the phone number registered for your BVN. Dialling from another line will not return your number.
• Your BVN is a unique ID issued at enrolment and linked to every account you have in all Nigerian banks. It is accepted as a means of identification across all Nigerian banks.
• Your BVN is not peculiar to one bank, so you do not need a separate number for each bank you use.
• For authentication purposes, individuals performing banking transactions, such as applying for loans, are required to identify themselves using biometric features matched against the central database.
• Updates to your customer information are done at your bank branch physically, not over USSD.
• Banks are prompted during account opening and credit checks if a customer has been blacklisted by any Nigerian bank.
• The BVN count stood at 70,585,888 as of 19 October 2026, updated weekly, which shows how widely the system is used.
• If you are enrolling for the first time, you must submit an acceptable means of identification as prescribed for enrolment. Capturing covers all ten fingers and your facial image.
• Customers are required to enrol within a fixed period, after which they can no longer operate their bank accounts. If you have been putting it off, do not wait.

Can I check my BVN with just a phone call or USSD? Yes. Dial *565*0# from the phone number registered for your BVN and the BVN is provided. A service fee of N20 applies.

Why did the code not return my BVN? You may have dialled from a number that is not the one registered for your BVN, or your phone number is linked to more than one BVN, in which case no BVN is returned.

How much does it cost to check my BVN? The NIBSS USSD check carries a service fee of N20.

How long does it take to get a BVN if I do not have one? Enrolment happens at your bank branch. You fill and submit the form, get captured, and receive an acknowledgment slip with a transaction ID. Within 24 hours the system confirms your application, your BVN is generated, and you get an SMS for pickup.

Can I use my BVN at any bank in Nigeria? Yes. Your unique BVN is accepted as a means of identification across all Nigerian banks, and it is linked to every account you hold.