Civil society organisations and digital rights advocates have warned that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) reported restriction on changing phone numbers linked to Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) could undermine financial inclusion, weaken trust in Nigeria’s digital identity system and potentially violate citizens’ data protection rights.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Executive Director of Digicivic Initiative, Mojirayo Ogunlana, speaking on behalf of a coalition of civil society and digital rights groups, urged the apex bank to reconsider any policy limiting BVN-linked phone number changes to a single instance.
The coalition argued that such restrictions conflict with provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), particularly citizens’ right to correct inaccurate or outdated personal data.
The groups backing the position include TAP Initiative, Avocats Sans Frontières France, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Accountability Lab, HerNG Initiative, and Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development.
While acknowledging the CBN’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s financial system against fraud, identity theft and cyber-enabled financial crimes, the organisations said anti-fraud measures should not come at the expense of citizens’ access to banking services.
“The ability to update personal information is a continuing right and an essential component of data accuracy, security and access to services,” the coalition said.
The groups argued that Nigerians frequently change phone numbers for legitimate reasons including SIM theft, security breaches, relocation, network changes, device loss and shifting personal or professional circumstances.
According to the coalition, restricting updates to BVN-linked phone numbers could create long-term inaccuracies within the banking identity system and lock millions out of critical financial services.
The advocacy groups further warned that the policy may disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including displaced persons, low-income Nigerians and citizens living in areas with unstable telecommunications access.
“As Nigeria’s financial and public service infrastructure becomes increasingly digitised, BVN-linked authentication systems now function as critical gateways to economic participation,” Ogunlana said.
The coalition called on the CBN to adopt a “balanced and risk-based” framework that would permit multiple phone number updates while strengthening fraud prevention mechanisms.
Among the measures proposed are enhanced identity verification procedures, stronger authentication systems, risk-based monitoring for frequent changes, improved audit trails and more advanced fraud detection systems.
The organisations also demanded closer collaboration between the CBN and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to ensure financial regulations align with national data protection laws and international best practices.
In addition, the groups urged the apex bank to establish transparent customer remediation channels, including appeals mechanisms and human review processes for Nigerians facing difficulties recovering or updating BVN-linked credentials.
They also challenged the CBN to publicly disclose the evidence, stakeholder consultations and risk assessments informing the restriction.
“Policies affecting access to financial systems must be transparent, evidence-based and proportionate,” the coalition stated.
