Please note & stay safe
Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with NIBSS, the CBN or any bank. This is an informational guide — check, enrol or update your BVN only through official channels (your bank, the official NIBSS BVN validation portal, or the BVN helpdesk). Never share your BVN, OTP, PIN or card details with anyone, and never pay “agents” promising shortcuts.
Retrieve with *565*0#
Dial *565*0# from your registered line; after a short verification your 11-digit BVN appears (small network fee ~₦20).
Bank app
Your BVN is shown in most bank apps under Profile / Account Info — free.
At your bank
Visit any branch of your bank with a valid ID; staff retrieve it after verifying you — free and reliable.
NIBSS portal & helpdesk
You can use the official NIBSS BVN validation portal (a small verification fee applies), or contact the NIBSS BVN helpdesk — toll-free 0700-2255-226 or email [email protected] — with your full name, date of birth, registered phone and email.
If your old number is gone
Since *565*0# needs the registered line, use your bank app or branch (or the helpdesk) to retrieve it, and update your phone number with your bank.
Stay safe
Retrieve your BVN only through your bank or official NIBSS channels. Never pay agents or share your BVN, OTP or PIN.
If you've lost the registered number
Losing access to your registered SIM is the most common retrieval snag, because *565*0# only works from the number linked to your BVN. If that line is gone, you still have options: check your bank's mobile app (your BVN is usually under Profile/Account details), or visit your bank branch with a valid ID, where staff can retrieve it and also update the phone number on your record so USSD works again in future. Your BVN itself is safe in NIBSS's database — you're just recovering the number.
Multiple or mismatched BVNs
Two related issues need the bank, not USSD. If your phone number is linked to more than one BVN, the *565*0# code won't return a result — and having duplicate BVNs (often from enrolling twice) causes account problems. Similarly, if your BVN details don't match your account or your NIN, transactions can be restricted. In all these cases, go to your bank: it can raise a request to NIBSS to merge or correct your records. This may take a few days but resolves the conflict properly.
Retrieving it safely
Retrieval is quick and cheap through official channels, so never pay an “agent” a large fee to recover a number you can get yourself. Stick to the *565*0# code on your own phone, your genuine bank app, or a bank branch. Be alert to fraudsters who exploit “lost BVN” worries by offering to “help” — they may be after your OTP, PIN or full details. If anyone asks for those to “retrieve” your BVN, it's a scam. Genuine retrieval never needs your PIN or OTP.
Frequently asked questions
How do I recover a forgotten BVN?
Dial *565*0# from your registered line, check your bank app under Account Info, visit a branch with a valid ID, or use the NIBSS portal/helpdesk.
Is BVN retrieval free?
At your bank it is free; via *565*0# or the NIBSS portal a small fee (around ₦20) applies.
What is the NIBSS BVN helpdesk number?
The toll-free line is 0700-2255-226, and the email is
[email protected] — provide your name, date of birth, registered phone and email.
I lost my registered phone number — how do I get my BVN?
Use your bank app or visit a branch with a valid ID (or the helpdesk), and update your phone number with your bank.
Can I retrieve my BVN online?
The NIBSS validation portal can return it after a small fee, but it needs your registered phone details; individuals can’t just type a name to get a BVN.
How do I retrieve a lost BVN?
Dial *565*0# from your registered number, or if that line is gone, check your bank's mobile app (BVN under Profile/Account details) or visit your bank branch with valid ID. Your BVN is safe in NIBSS's database — you're just recovering the number.
How do I get my BVN without the registered phone number?
The USSD method needs the registered SIM, so if it's gone use your bank's mobile app or visit your branch with valid ID. At the branch, staff can retrieve your BVN and update the phone number on your record so USSD works again in future.
Why does the BVN code say my number is linked to multiple BVNs?
You likely enrolled more than once, creating duplicate BVNs — which the USSD code can't resolve and which causes account problems. Go to your bank, which can raise a request to NIBSS to merge the records; it may take a few days.
My BVN details don't match my account — what do I do?
Visit your bank — it can raise a request to NIBSS to correct or merge your records so your BVN details align with your account and NIN. Mismatches can restrict transactions until resolved, so don't leave it.
Do I need to pay to retrieve my BVN?
No large fee — retrieval is quick and cheap through official channels (*565*0# on your own phone, your bank app, or a branch). Never pay an 'agent' to recover a number you can get yourself, and never give anyone your OTP or PIN to 'retrieve' it — that's a scam.