Nigerian Banks, Telcos Struggle as NIN Verification Portal Downtime Extends into Second Week
- In the last decade, the federal government has gradually incorporated the National Identity Number (NIN) into every essential service
- This was meant for the harmonisation of national data, but it also implies that the NIN verification portal affects other businesses
- Nigerian customers have experienced service delays across several sectors due to a technical glitch at the NIMC
Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon, a journalist with Legit.ng, has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.
Nigerian banks and telecommunication companies have suffered major service disruptions for over a week due to the inability to access the National Identification Number (NIN) verification portal.
According to reports, the downtime has lasted over a week despite assurances from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) that it has been fixed.
Due to this challenge, banks are unable to verify new account holders or link them to the NINs, while telcos are also unable to register new customers as they cannot verify the NIN.
Source: Getty Images
Nigerians unable to process passports at NIS
The NIN verification downtime has also affected passport applications with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
The Vanguard news reports confirm that the NIS requires the NIN verification portal to approve passport applications.
This means that those trying to apply for Nigerian passports are stuck until the issue is resolved.
Banks are unable to onboard new customers
Many banks are now struggling with the verification backlog as the numbers pile up with each passing day.
A bank staff member at Guaranty Trust Bank in Wuse 2, Abuja, spoke on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak on the matter.
He explained that since last week, staff have been unable to open new accounts or link existing accounts to certain services.
He said:
“Those in charge need to resolve this urgently because it’s affecting people and the economy negatively.”
The experience is similar at Zenith Bank in the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, where customers have had to stay in long queues because of the downtime.
However, staff at a nearby Access Bank in the same area say they have been largely unaffected by the downtime.
Telcos struggle with registration and other services
Telecommunication service providers have also confirmed that the downtime affected their ability to verify customers' identities.
The situation has persisted for more than a week, stalling SIM card registrations and other essential services.
NIMC advises on alternative
As an alternative to the NIN verification portal, Nigerians can use the Tokenisation method, NIMC has advised.
This helps to achieve the purpose while protecting the customers’ data privacy and security.
However, adoption of the Tokenisation method remains low, and many are unaware of how to use it.
NIMC issued a statement on Friday, July 4, 2025, saying that the downtime was caused by a routine technical maintenance exercise. It added that the exercise had been completed, and organisations can enjoy seamless service.
Source: UGC
The experience from organisations and customers reliant on this service has not improved since then.
There is no further official comment on the matter, but a staff member, who spoke anonymously, shared that there are still technical issues, hence the prolonged downtime.
He disclosed that the commission recently changed its software vendor without pre-informing the telcos, and this set back their operations.
The NIMC has pledged to extend the NIN registration to every corner of Nigeria before the end of 2025.
FG Links NIN to financial data
In related news, the Nigerian government is poised to implement a reform linking the credit scores of Nigerians to their National Identification Numbers (NIN) to establish a unified credit system across the country.
Legit.ng reports that the plan aims to consolidate credit data from all financial institutions, banks, fintechs, and microfinance operators into a central national credit bureau.
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The managing director of the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDITCORP), Uzoma Nwagba, announced this plan.
Source: Legit.ng
