Reverse restriction on customers’ BVN-linked number modification — Alaba-Akinlabi to CBN

Public affairs analyst and civic society advocate Morisola Alaba‑Akinlabi has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Governor Olayemi Cardoso to lift its restriction on customers’ Bank Verification Number (BVN) mobile number changes.

She made the appeal during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday.

According to DAILY POST, the CBN issued a regulatory directive to banks in April 2026 that barred updates of phone numbers linked to customers’ BVN.

The move has sparked mixed reactions from bank customers and stakeholders in the country’s banking sector over the past weeks.

Alaba‑Akinlabi called on the CBN to review the policy for the benefit of Nigerians, arguing that it would create several concerns, such as limiting customers’ ability to securely access financial services, disproportionately affecting vulnerable and mobile populations, creating unnecessary barriers to financial inclusion, and eroding public confidence in digital identity and financial systems.

She warned that the CBN’s action would undermine the rights of data subjects as guaranteed under the Nigeria Data Protection Commission framework and the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).

Alaba‑Akinlabi noted that the decision would disadvantage individuals who legitimately need to change their phone numbers multiple times due to circumstances such as loss, theft, or compromise of SIM cards; changes in telecommunications providers; security concerns or fraud incidents; relocation; or evolving personal and professional needs.

“In light of the concerns raised regarding restrictions on BVN‑linked phone number changes, we respectfully call on the Central Bank of Nigeria to:

• Immediately review the current restriction limiting BVN‑linked phone number modifications to a single instance and permit multiple opportunities.

• Ensure full compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) by safeguarding the continuing right of individuals to rectify inaccurate or outdated personal data.

• Adopt a balanced, risk‑based framework that allows multiple phone number updates subject to appropriate identity verification and fraud prevention measures.

• Strengthen customer protection mechanisms by introducing transparent, accessible, and secure procedures for legitimate BVN data updates,” she stated.