NIBSS, Airtel, Etisalat partner to provide Short Code for BVN access

The Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has collaborated with Airtel and Etisalat to provide a platform – USSD code by which bank customers can easily access their Bank Verification numbers (BVNs).

This is aimed at building confidence among Nigerians over BVN enrollment and to address issues around multiple BVN registration.

Consequently, Customers who have registered for BVN can now dial *565*0# on their mobile phones to call up their BVN under the partnership.

Already, the notification service has gone live on Etisalat, while bank customers using Airtel lines will have access to the service from next week Wednesday, September 16, 2015.

Ade Shonubi, Managing Director and Chief Executive of NIBSS, said the collaboration is expected to go beyond mere request for confirmation of BVNs to bringing more people into the Nigerian banking system.

Shonubi said out of a population of 170 million, only about 20 million have registered for the BVN indicating that more Nigerians needs to be included in the banking system.

He said the October 31 deadline still holds in line with the decision of the CBN adding that NIBSS is engaging another agency which works with the Nigerian embassy in countries such as Canada to join Online Integrated Service (OIS) in the registration of bank customers in Diaspora.

“We have devices that are stuck in India and China and for the last three week we have been unable to get them out. And these are devices that are meant to be set up there but we can’t get their customs to review and release it. Capturing people’s information in countries is difficult unless you do it within the laws of that country and most developed countries do not allow you to freely capture the biometric information of their citizens and that is why we are forced to use the Nigerian embassy because we tell them that is Nigerian soil”, Shonubi said at a press briefing in Lagos.

Francesco Anjelone, Chief Marketing Officer of Etisalat, explained that the will only work with the numbers attached with the accounts and the BVN is delivered to the mobile phone via SMS. The service will cost N10 per SMS.

He said the collaboration between NIBSS and some of the telecommunication companies, will lead to the creation of greater value not only for the telcos but also for the banking industry.

HOPE MOSES-ASHIKE