The Bank Verification Number (BVN) is a vital identification number for anyone looking to bank in NIgeria.
Not only is it used to trace individual bank accounts across different banks, it can be a useful tool for authenticating users for account ownership.
To check your BVN is usually a straightforward process, which is made available via a paid USSD service.
Anyone with a phone, whether smart or not can just dial the BVN USSD code: *565*0# from the phone number registered to their BVN, as long as they have at least 21 Naira airtime on their phone, which is the cost of BVN verification service and inclusive of tax.
How to Check BVN Without Phone Number
So, what if you don’t have your phone handy or you lost your phone, but want to check your BVN.
Well, it would be almost impossible to check your BVN by yourself without having your phone, which carries the phone number linked with your BVN.
If you do not have access to your phone or BVN registered phone number, then the only way to check your BVN would be to physically go to your bank and ask them to provide your BVN.
This would usually be a free service, so there is no additional cost for you.
How to Check BVN Without Airtime
If you have access to your phone but do not have access to the phone number linked to your BVN or airtime to access the BVN verification service, then you can use an alternative.
The alternative way to check your BVN without airtime or BVN phone number is via your bank app.
Most bank apps already have your BVN number displayed as part of the app menu or anywhere around where the bank account number is seen on the app.
Here are some of the banks which allows you to check your BVN via their mobile apps:
- Access Bank
- GTBank
- First Bank
- Zenith Bank
How to Check for BVN on the GTBank App
To check your BVN on GTBank for example is a very straightforward process.
All you have to do is log onto the GTBank mobile app, toggle on the menu which is at the top left side of the app interface, and check the menu list.
The BVN is the third item on the menu after your name and the login timestamp.
It is written as BVN: xxxxxxxxxx (simply copy out the 11 digits).
Saving Your BVN for Later Transactions
It is important to keep your BVN handy in order not to constantly go through the stress of retrieving it every time you want to make a transaction.
You could copy out your BVN on a sheet of paper and keep it safe in your wallet, or you could save it on your phone contact list as “BVN Number”.
If you’re quick-witted, you could even memorize your BVN number. After all, you were able to memorize your bank account number and even phone number.
So, why not store your BVN in the same brain vault?