Turn this guide into your personal checklist.
Track documents and steps on this device. No account is needed and your progress stays in this browser.
Online, physical or both?
Use the responsible office or institution
Use the mobile phone number that was registered during BVN enrolment; the retrieval service will not return the BVN from an unrelated number. Then dial *565*0# on that registered line and follow the USSD session until NIBSS completes the BVN lookup.
Plan for a physical or institution-assisted step
The in-person or assisted stage stated in this guide is: If the registered number is no longer available or the lookup cannot resolve the record, contact your bank or the institution that manages the BVN record rather than repeatedly paying the USSD charge.
Find official offices/centres →If this specific process gets stuck
Use CBN's official support/contact route and quote the reference generated by this application.
View agency guidance →Only authorised routes. We never present an unofficial agent, cybercafé or third-party payment page as an alternative unless the responsible agency authorises it.
Documents, details and prerequisites you need
This is the complete pre-start checklist from the verified guide. Each item below explains what it is for, where it enters the process and whether the official source actually specifies an original, copy or upload.
A BVN that has already been enrolled
- Why you need it
- Used to identify the banking identity record connected to this request.
- Where it is used
- Keep this ready before starting. The verified guide lists it as a prerequisite even though the official source does not tie it to one numbered step.
- Original, copy or upload?
- The official sources used for this guide do not specify original vs copy here. Follow the exact portal or office prompt instead of assuming.
The same phone number registered to that BVN
- Why you need it
- Used to identify the banking identity record connected to this request.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 1: Use the mobile phone number that was registered during BVN enrolment; the retrieval service will not return the BVN from an unrelated number.
- Original, copy or upload?
- The official sources used for this guide do not specify original vs copy here. Follow the exact portal or office prompt instead of assuming.
Enough airtime for the ₦20 NIBSS USSD service charge
- Why you need it
- This item is explicitly listed in the verified pre-start requirements for this service. Have it ready before beginning so the application is not interrupted.
- Where it is used
- Most directly connected to step 2: Dial *565*0# on that registered line and follow the USSD session until NIBSS completes the BVN lookup.
- Original, copy or upload?
- The official sources used for this guide do not specify original vs copy here. Follow the exact portal or office prompt instead of assuming.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow the process in order. Each step also shows what to have ready, what to check before continuing and what evidence to keep. Where the agency does not publish an extra requirement, this guide does not invent one.
Use the mobile phone number that was registered during BVN enrolment; the retrieval service will not return the BVN from an unrelated number.
- The same phone number registered to that BVN
Review names, numbers, dates, contact details and selections before final submission because corrections may require a separate official process.
Keep the application/reference number, acknowledgement or confirmation generated after submission.
Dial *565*0# on that registered line and follow the USSD session until NIBSS completes the BVN lookup.
- Enough airtime for the ₦20 NIBSS USSD service charge
- The same phone number registered to that BVN
Review names, numbers, dates, contact details and selections before final submission because corrections may require a separate official process.
Keep the application/reference number, acknowledgement or confirmation generated after submission.
Allow the ₦20 service charge and read the BVN returned on screen carefully, then store it somewhere private rather than sharing it publicly.
- A BVN that has already been enrolled
- Enough airtime for the ₦20 NIBSS USSD service charge
Read the next screen or office instruction before moving on; do not assume an extra payment, document or visit is required unless the responsible agency asks for it.
Keep any reference, confirmation, screenshot or acknowledgement generated by the official route.
If no BVN is returned, first confirm that you used the registered phone number; NIBSS also says the service will not return a BVN where that phone number is linked to more than one BVN.
- The same phone number registered to that BVN
- Enough airtime for the ₦20 NIBSS USSD service charge
Review names, numbers, dates, contact details and selections before final submission because corrections may require a separate official process.
Keep the application/reference number, acknowledgement or confirmation generated after submission.
If the registered number is no longer available or the lookup cannot resolve the record, contact your bank or the institution that manages the BVN record rather than repeatedly paying the USSD charge.
- The same phone number registered to that BVN
- Enough airtime for the ₦20 NIBSS USSD service charge
Confirm the service, applicant/entity details and amount on the official payment screen before paying. Do not continue from an unsolicited payment link.
Keep the official receipt, payment reference or transaction ID.
What exactly happens next?
Keep the application/reference number, payment receipt, acknowledgement or downloadable record produced by this service.
If the registered number is no longer available or the lookup cannot resolve the record, contact your bank or the institution that manages the BVN record rather than repeatedly paying the USSD charge.
For this guide, the last published process step is: If the registered number is no longer available or the lookup cannot resolve the record, contact your bank or the institution that manages the BVN record rather than repeatedly paying the USSD charge.
Use CBN's official support channel with the application/reference details.
Important notes
- A BVN is not a bank account number or a payment credential, but it is sensitive identity information and should still be protected.
- NIBSS requires the phone number registered to the BVN for *565*0# retrieval.
Common questions
These answers are generated from the verified requirements, route, fee, timeline and official-source notes for this specific service.
What should I prepare before I start?
Prepare before you begin by gathering every item below. The detailed checklist above explains why each one is needed, where it is used, and whether the official source specifies an original, copy or upload.
- A BVN that has already been enrolled — Identity / account detail
- The same phone number registered to that BVN — Identity / account detail
- Enough airtime for the ₦20 NIBSS USSD service charge — Other requirement
Can I do this online, or do I need to visit an office?
Physical / assisted process. Use the mobile phone number that was registered during BVN enrolment; the retrieval service will not return the BVN from an unrelated number. Then dial *565*0# on that registered line and follow the USSD session until NIBSS completes the BVN lookup.
The in-person or assisted stage stated in this guide is: If the registered number is no longer available or the lookup cannot resolve the record, contact your bank or the institution that manages the BVN record rather than repeatedly paying the USSD charge.
How much does this service cost?
₦20 — NIBSS states that the *565*0# BVN retrieval service costs ₦20.
Pay only through the responsible agency or the official payment channel linked in this guide.
How long should it take?
The responsible agency does not currently publish a reliable fixed completion timeline in the official sources used for this guide.
Processing can still take longer where identity checks, document corrections, payment confirmation or manual review are required.
What happens after I submit or complete the main step?
Keep the evidence for Retrieve BVN: Keep the application/reference number, payment receipt, acknowledgement or downloadable record produced by this service.
Complete the final published step: If the registered number is no longer available or the lookup cannot resolve the record, contact your bank or the institution that manages the BVN record rather than repeatedly paying the USSD charge.
What should I do if the portal, payment or application gets stuck?
Use CBN's official support/contact route and quote the reference generated by this application.
Keep any application number, receipt, acknowledgement, transaction reference or screenshot that can help the agency trace the request.
What should I be careful about?
- A BVN is not a bank account number or a payment credential, but it is sensitive identity information and should still be protected.
- NIBSS requires the phone number registered to the BVN for *565*0# retrieval.
How do I verify that these instructions are current?
This guide was last checked on 2026-09-28. The official government or agency sources used to verify it are listed directly below this section.
Where an agency changes a fee, deadline or procedure, the official source takes priority over this independent guide.
Is MyNigeriaGuide the government website for this service?
No. MyNigeriaGuide is an independent information service. Applications, payments, approvals and final decisions remain with the responsible government agency.
Official sources
These are the government or agency pages used to verify this guide. Open them directly whenever you want to confirm the source.
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