Government IDs

The identifiers#

| ID | First use | After | Format | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Bank Verification Number | Bank Verification Number (BVN) | BVN | 11 digits | | National Identification Number | National Identification Number (NIN) | NIN | 11 digits | | Voter's card | permanent voter's card (PVC) | PVC | — | | Driver's licence | driver's licence | — | British spelling | | Passport | international passport | passport | "International passport" is the Nigerian term; accept both |

Asking for IDs#

• Say which IDs you accept, up front, before the user starts.
• Give the self-service check beside the field: "Dial *565*0# to see your BVN" / "Dial *346# to check your NIN".
• Explain the legal basis plainly: "The CBN requires us to verify your identity before you can send more than ₦50,000."
• Reassure about scope: an ID number is not account access. Say so.

When verification fails#

Name mismatches are the most common failure — marriage, anglicised spellings, and order differences between documents. Don't write "details do not match". Say which record disagrees and what the user can do:

The name on this BVN doesn't match the name you entered.

Enter your name exactly as your bank has it — check a bank SMS or statement. If your name has changed, update it with your bank first, then try again.

Related guidance#

• Forms
• Financial terminology