20.8m Accounts Have Enrolled BVN -CBN

The Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr Ibrahim Mu’azu, announced this on the sideline of the Fiscal Liquidity Assessment Committee workshop on Thursday in Abuja.

Mu’azu said that the CBN had no plans to extend the deadline of the exercise.

He said that the current figure was obtained from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS).

“While it can be said that some substantial efforts have been made in terms of enrollment and successes recorded, what is left is for the remaining account holders to get their accounts linked to BVN.

“Furthermore, Nigerian banks’ customers in the Diaspora have taken advantage of more facilities provided for enrollment in more locations abroad.

“The updated information on the locations for the enrollment of Nigeria banks’ customers in the Diaspora can be accessed through the NIBSS website,” he said.

Mu’azu said that to show that most people complied with the apex bank’s directive, there was less pressure in the banking halls across the country even as the deadline was drawing to a close.

A financial expert, Mr Christopher Aigbe, assured Nigerians that the nature of the BVN deadline gave customers opportunities to still register after the exercise ended.

“I don’t really see a deadline. It’s just that it has officially ended and for that, your account will be blocked until you register. Banks don’t have the right to close your account and keep your money.

“So nothing stops you from working into the bank at anytime to register and have your accounts reopened,” he said.

Miss Comfort Haruna, a bank customer, said that BVN registration and linking of accounts would have gone more smoothly if banks had come out with innovative ways early for the exercise.

The CBN said the BVN was to encourage banks to grant loans to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and students in the country.