How One Person Can have Two BVN Numbers

How One Person Can have Two BVN Numbers. Unpacking the Possibility, the Pitfalls, and the Hidden Realities.In 2015, a young Nigerian man named Tunde registered his Bank Verification Number (BVN) at a GTBank branch in Lagos. Five years later, living in London, he attempted to open another account in Nigeria from abroad. Confused about the exact phone number and email he used, he submitted a fresh BVN registration through a diaspora-focused bank. To his surprise, the system processed it—and now he had two BVNs, linked to slightly different personal data. 

Tunde thought it was a blessing more flexibility, more accounts. But three years later, when applying for a government-backed startup grant, he was flagged. His identity couldn’t be reconciled. Worse, both BVNs were frozen. 

How One Person Can have Two BVN Numbers

This is not fiction. This is the gray space where Nigeria’s banking system meets human behavior. 

This blog post is not just about rules or yes/no answers. It is about real people, systemic loopholes, and the existential tension between bureaucracy and biometrics. 

Can someone have two BVNs?

Let’s explore it in depth not just technically, but sociologically, practically, historically, and ethically. 

UNDERSTANDING WHAT A BVN REALLY IS 

Before we ask whether someone can have two bvn numbers, we must understand what one BVN is. 

What Is a BVN? 

The Bank Verification Number (BVN) is a biometric-based identification system introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2014. It uses: 

• Fingerprints 

• Facial recognition 

• Date of birth 

• Bank account linkage 

Each Nigerian is meant to have only one BVN that links all their bank accounts—across different banks—into one financial identity. 

Why Was BVN Introduced? 

To solve two main problems: 

• Identity duplication: People used to open multiple accounts with different names, DOBs, and addresses. 

• Fraud reduction: Financial crimes flourished under false identities. 

The BVN centralized everything in theory. 

WHAT THE REGULATIONS OF ONE BVN PER PERSON 

The official policy of the CBN 

“Each individual shall be allowed a single unique BVN. Multiple enrollment is prohibited and will be penalized.” 

The logic is simple: 

• Your biometric fingerprint is unique. 

• Your facial data is unique. 

• So the system should reject any attempt to register a second BVN. 

But we live in Nigeria, where systems meet workarounds. 

YES—PEOPLE DO HAVE TWO BVN NUMBERS (HERE’S HOW) 

Despite the central system, real people end up with two BVNs, and it happens in several ways. 

 Technical Error During Enrollment 

Some banks upload incomplete or mismatched biometric data. If another bank later captures a more complete biometric profile, the system might fail to detect duplication. 

Identity Variation 

This happens when: 

• Someone registers under “Uche Kingsley” in one bank 

• And “Kingsley Uchechukwu” in another

If the phone number, email, or DOB is also different, the system may not flag the duplication. 

Diaspora Complications (NRBVN vs. BVN) 

A Nigerian abroad might: 

• Have a regular BVN from years ago 

• Later register for an NRBVN (Non-Resident BVN) using slightly different identity info 

Though the system should link them, it's not perfect. 

Fraudulent Intent 

Some people intentionally game the system to: 

• Access government benefits multiple times 

• Evade loan tracking 

• Open “clean” bank accounts after defaulting 

This is rare but real. 

THE REAL CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING TWO BVNs 

Having two BVNs might feel like having two chances, but in reality, it’s a financial death sentence waiting to happen. 

Account Freezing 

Once flagged, all accounts linked to both BVNs can be frozen pending investigation. 

Ineligibility for Financial Services 

You may be blacklisted from: 

• Loans 

• Government grants 

• Cooperative funding 

• Pensions 

• Foreign exchange access 

Legal Liability 

Submitting false data for identity registration is a criminal offense under: 

• CBN Act 

• Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 

• Cybercrime Act 

Prosecution is rare, but not impossible. 

CASE STUDIES YOU WON’T FIND IN THE NEWS 

Let’s meet three fictionalized but realistic characters based on real-world patterns. 

The Returnee 

Chika moved back to Nigeria after 12 years in Canada. Forgetting her old GTBank account, she enrolled for a new BVN at UBA. Months later, her attempt to withdraw her pension from a government scheme was blocked. Her original BVN showed up in the system—linked to a dormant account. The conflict meant both accounts were frozen. 

The Hustler 

Musa, a small business owner in Kano, registered two BVNs—one under his real name and one under a friend’s. He used the second to secure multiple microloans. Eventually, he defaulted, and the loans traced back to the same fingerprints. He now cannot open a bank account without triggering a fraud alert. 

The Innocent One 

Aisha, a tech-savvy Nigerian in Ireland, used her NRBVN to set up a domiciliary account. Unknown to her, her parents had earlier opened an account in her name using falsified data for school fees. That account had a different BVN. Years later, while trying to apply for a mortgage, her application was delayed due to a “dual identity” flag. 

CHAPTER 6: IS THERE A FIX? YES—HERE’S HOW TO MERGE TWO BVNS 

If you suspect or discover you have two BVNs, do not panic. The CBN has a merger process. 

Visit Your Primary Bank 

Go to the bank where you actively operate and explain the situation. You’ll be given a BVN merging form. 

 Submit Documentation 

You’ll need: 

• BVN printouts from both banks 

• Valid ID (passport, NIN, or voter’s card) 

• Written affidavit explaining the error 

• Passport photograph 

• Possibly, fingerprint re-verification 

6.3 Wait for Backend Processing 

Banks will escalate to NIBSS (Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System), which runs a backend reconciliation system. Merging can take 4–8 weeks. 

FUTURE OF BVN—CAN IT GET SMARTER? 

Yes—and it must. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Matching 

In the near future, Nigeria’s BVN system could integrate more advanced AI models that: 

• Detect name variations 

• Cross-check fingerprints even across partial datasets 

• Flag identity anomalies in real-time 

7.2 Blockchain-Based Identity Ledger 

Imagine a world where: 

• Every Nigerian has a self-sovereign digital identity 

• Changes are tracked on a tamper-proof ledger 

• BVN duplicates are impossible due to encryption 

We're not there yet—but initiatives like Nigeria’s eNaira and National Digital ID project point in this direction. 

 FINAL WORD—THE SPIRIT BEHIND THE NUMBER 

The question, “Can someone have two BVNs?” is really a proxy for a deeper issue. 

Can Nigeria create a single, trusted, equitable identity system? 

We’re getting closer. But systems don’t exist in isolation. They must meet real people, with real complications—lost phones, multiple names, family interference, data entry errors, and yes, human ambition. 

The BVN isn’t just a number. It’s a test of national coherence. 

Let’s build systems that account for nuance, not just punishment. 

And let’s encourage every Nigerian—at home or abroad—to honor the integrity of their identity. Not just for their own safety, but for the trust we all depend on.