You update your BVN phone number at your bank, in person, with a valid ID and the new SIM registered in your name. There’s no USSD code or app shortcut for this change.
Since 1 May 2026, a CBN rule allows the number on a BVN to be changed only once, so the number you pick now is the one you’ll likely keep for good. That changes how you should approach it.
Below is what to sort out before you go, what to take, what happens at the branch, and the cases where you shouldn’t change the number at all, so you don’t waste your one chance.
Why the number on your BVN matters
Banks use the phone number on your BVN record as a contact point for checking it’s really you. It’s also the number you have to dial from to retrieve your BVN with *565*0#. If that line is dead, you lose an easy way to prove who you are, and some account changes get harder.
Reports on the CBN circular tie the rule to SIM swap fraud and identity takeover, where criminals change the contact details on a victim’s records to get into their accounts. Limiting changes to one makes that much harder, but it also means you can’t afford a careless update.
First, ask whether you need to change it
If you lost your phone or the SIM got damaged, you probably don’t need a new number on your BVN. Go to your network provider and request a SIM replacement on the same number. Once the line is back, everything linked to it works again and you still have your one change in reserve.
Change the number only when the old line is truly gone: retired by the network, registered to someone else, or a number you never want tied to your money again.
Before you go to the bank
- Choose a number you’ll keep. Your main line, on the network you’ve used longest, is a safer bet than a new promo SIM.
- Register the SIM in your own name and link it to your NIN. A line registered to a relative or a business can cause the request to fail, and a number in someone else’s name puts your bank accounts at their mercy.
- Call the bank first. Some banks want you at a particular branch or ask for extra proof that the new line is yours. A quick call saves a wasted trip.
What to take with you
- A valid government ID, such as your NIN slip or card, international passport or driver’s licence
- Your BVN (if you’ve forgotten it, the bank can look it up after checking your ID)
- Your account number with that bank
- The phone with the new SIM in it, switched on, since the bank may send a code to confirm it
How to update your BVN phone number, step by step
- Go to customer service at a branch of a bank where you hold an account and say you want to update the phone number on your BVN.
- Fill the BVN update or data change form. Write the new number carefully; a single wrong digit could cost you your one change.
- Hand over your ID and anything else the bank asks for. Some banks capture your fingerprints again to confirm you’re the BVN owner.
- Read the form back before you sign it, then collect a reference number or acknowledgement slip.
- Once the bank says it’s done, dial *565*0# from the new line. If your BVN comes back, the update went through.
How long it takes depends on the bank. Ask for the expected timeline when you submit, and go back with your acknowledgement slip if alerts and codes still go to the old number after that.
Watch out for “BVN update agents”
People advertise BVN phone number changes on WhatsApp, Facebook and Telegram, often for a fee, sometimes “without going to the bank”. Don’t use them. The change goes through your bank, and anyone collecting your BVN, ID and a code sent to your phone has what they need to take over your accounts.
If the bank charges anything, it will tell you at the counter. Never send money or codes to a stranger for this. Scammers use the same tricks on app users, so learn how to identify scammers.
Your BVN number, your NIN number and your Snapiro number are separate
Three different records can each hold a phone number, and changing one doesn’t change the others.
| Record | Who changes it |
|---|---|
| BVN | Your bank (once only, from 1 May 2026) |
| NIN | NIMC, through its own modification process |
| Snapiro account | Snapiro support, from the Support tab in the app (or by email if you can’t log in) |
On Snapiro, if you’ve lost the line on your account, support can update it after checking your identity. The steps are in how to change the phone number on your Snapiro account, and you can then verify the new number in the app. This doesn’t touch your BVN record at the bank.
Your Snapiro BVN check itself doesn’t depend on the phone number. It matches your 11 digits and sets your account name to your BVN name, as explained in how to verify your BVN. Once verified, you can add a bank account in the same name and withdraw naira.
FAQs
Can I update my BVN phone number online or by USSD?
There’s no public USSD code or website that does it. The request goes through your bank, which checks your identity first. Ask your bank which of its channels it accepts.
I changed my number before May 2026. Do I still have one change left?
The circular doesn’t spell this out in the reports we’ve seen. Ask your bank to check your record before you rely on having a change left.
Do I have to update it at every bank?
No. The BVN is one record shared across all your banks. Update it at one bank, then check with your other banks that their alerts go to the new number, since each bank also keeps its own contact details.
Will changing the number change my BVN?
No. Your 11-digit BVN stays the same for life. Only the contact number attached to it changes.
Once the bank has updated your number, get the Snapiro app and complete your account verification so withdrawals go straight to your account.
