How to update your BVN phone number before the May 1 deadline

Starting May 1, 2026, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will allow you to change the phone number linked to your Bank Verification Number (BVN) only once in your lifetime. After that, it is locked. Forever.

This is one of the most consequential changes to Nigeria’s banking infrastructure in years. And if you are not paying attention, it could leave you locked out of your own bank account.

The CBN announced the restriction in a circular issued to banks and financial institutions on March 13, 2026. It applies to every bank, fintech, microfinance institution, and mobile money operator in the country. As of early 2026, over 68 million Nigerians have BVNs. Every single one of them is affected.

Your BVN phone number is not just a contact detail. It is the backbone of your banking identity.

It is the number you use to receive your one-time passwords when you make transfers. It gets your transaction alerts. It is how your bank verifies you when something looks suspicious on your account. It is also how you recover access if you forget your password or get locked out.

Without it, you cannot complete online transactions. You cannot reset your banking passwords. You cannot verify your identity when your bank flags unusual activity. In short, losing access to your BVN phone number means losing access to your money.

That is why this rule matters so much.

The reason why the CBN is doing this and how important it is

The short answer is fraud. Criminals have long exploited how easy it was to change BVN-linked numbers to take over bank accounts.

The attack works like this. A fraudster performs a SIM swap on your number. They contact your bank, claim to be you, and request a BVN phone number change. Once the change goes through, they reset your banking credentials and empty your account. By the time you realise what happened, the money is gone.

It is not rare. The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) recorded 62,901 fraud cases linked to social engineering schemes in 2023 alone. Many of those cases involved compromised phone numbers.

Similar read: 1 phone, 1 bank app: Inside CBN’s device binding rule and what it means for Nigerian users

By capping changes to once-in-a-lifetime, the CBN is trying to close that window permanently. The logic is straightforward: if fraudsters cannot change your number, they cannot take over your account through that route.

The problem Nigerians have with a once-in-a-lifetime rule

The policy makes sense on paper. In real life, it creates serious risks for ordinary Nigerians who are not fraudsters.

Phones get stolen every day in Nigeria. SIM cards get deactivated after long periods of inactivity. Telecom providers sometimes reassign old numbers to new subscribers, meaning someone else could end up with a number that was once yours and is still linked to your BVN.

Some people switch networks because of better coverage or pricing. None of these situations involves fraud. But under this rule, if you have already used your one allowed change, there is no path forward.

Legal experts have also raised questions. The Nigeria Data Protection Act, signed into law in 2023, grants individuals the right to correct inaccurate personal data.

A rule that allows only one lifetime update may be difficult to justify where a number later becomes inaccessible, compromised, or wrongly attached to a person’s record. No Nigerian court has ruled on this yet, but the tension is real.

The CBN has also not clarified what happens if you lose access to the number you updated. There is no published exception for stolen SIMs, deactivated lines, or telecom errors. That silence is a problem.

What you need to do before May 1 and how to update your BVN

The window to act is closing. Here is what to do right now.

First, check the phone number currently linked to your BVN. Can you receive calls and SMS on it? Is the SIM active and in your possession? If the answer to any of those questions is no, go to your bank immediately and change it before May 1.

Option 1: Visit any branch of your bank

• Bring a valid ID (national ID card, driver’s license, or international passport)
• Request a BVN phone number update form
• Provide your new phone number
• The bank will verify your identity and process the change

Option 2: USSD code (varies by bank): Some banks allow BVN updates via USSD, though this typically requires you to have access to both your old and new numbers for verification.

Option 3: Bank mobile app or website: Check if your bank’s app or internet banking platform allows BVN updates. This usually requires multi-factor authentication.

Check that your SIM registration matches your BVN details. The CBN now requires an exact match between BVN data and SIM registration data held by telecom providers.

If the name on your SIM card registration doesn’t match the name on your Bank Verification Number (BVN), your account may be automatically deactivated. Go to your network provider (MTN, Airtel, Glo, or T2mobile) to check that your NIN is correctly linked to your SIM and correct any errors before May 1.

If you cannot access the phone number currently linked to your BVN, update it before May 1, 2026. After that date, you get exactly one chance for the rest of your life.

This is not a drill. Visit your bank, verify your details, and make sure the phone number on your BVN is one you will have access to for years to come.