Biometric registration

By Emeka Aginam

As the June, 2015 deadline for bank
customers to get their Bank Verification
Number (BVN) draws closer, customers are
in the last minutes rush to enrol on the
exercise.

The BVN was launched last year February by
the apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria as
part of its cashless policy to capture
customers’ data and check fraud in the
banking system.

The BVN launched by the former CBN
governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is
targeted at creating a stronger Know Your
Customer (KYC) for banks, to strengthen the
various security platforms and also facilitate
increased lending to customers.

It would be recalled that the BVN enrolment
was commissioned by the Bankers
Committee as part of its financial inclusion
strategies.

Accordingly, the BVN gives each bank
customer unique identity across the Nigerian
banking industry that can be used for easy
identification and verification at point of
banking operation.

The exercise includes getting bank
customers biometrics, with the use of
fingerprints, and facial image, after which
each customer will be given a bank
verification number.‘

The BVN enrolment which is a continuation
of the $50 million biometric project involving
the CBN, the Bankers’ Committee, NIBSS,
Dermalog and Charms Plc, was meant to
assign a unique number to every bank
customer for enhanced security of
transactions.

The scheme, according to the promoters was
further aimed at helping to prevent identity
theft and fraud in the industry. It is also
expected to enhance credit advancement to
customers.

However, the BVN issued at the point of
enrolment will be linked to all customer’s
bank account in Nigeria.

The exercise became imperative following
the continuous cases of security issues
arising from passwords and Personal
Identification Number (PIN) of customers.

Although there was initial low turnout of
customers with respect to registration in the
ongoing BVN exercise as a result of poor
awareness and lack of interest , bank
customers, according to Vanguard Sun Tech
findings are now compelled to comply with
the CBN mandate otherwise they will not be
allowed to do any transaction with any of the
commercial banks across the country.

Meanwhile, a close monitoring of banking
activities in Lagos State at the weekend
showed that customers were fully complying
as they were not allowed to do any
transaction without completing the exercise.

At most banking halls visited by Vanguard
Sun Tech News on Friday last week in Lagos,
bank customers were seen queuing in the
line to complete the exercise.

“I have no choice now. I have to do the
enrolment now as the bank official here said
that I will not do any banking transaction
unless I do the BVN enrolment. I wanted to
transfer money to my brother in school
through electronic transfer method but
cannot do that unless the BVN is completed”,
a customer who pleaded anonymous told
Vanguard Sun Tech News at the United Bank
for Africa, UBA, Berger Yard branch , Kikiri,
Apapa, Lagos.

According to him, the exercise is good but
lamented that the challenge is ability of
customers to make out time to complete the
process.

At the Zenith bank, Allen avenue, Ikeja
Lagos, the situation is the same thing as
customers were seen in the banking hall
completing their application form to enable
them do their transaction.

“Before now, I did not make out time in my
busy schedule to complete the exercise. But
because it now compulsory, I do not have
choice other than do it. This is like last
minute rush anyway”, Peter Obi, a trader at
Computer Village Ikeja told Vanguard Sun
Tech News.

He admitted that the BVN is in the interest of
bank customers because of security issues in
password and identity theft.

Further monitoring of banking activities also
showed that the last minute rush is more
work for bank official as it was not really
under compulsion to enrol when the exercise
kicked off last year. But now, bank officials
are strongly advising customers to enrol in
the exercise in their best interest.

Normally, customers get their ticket
identification number after enrolment as their
their BVN will be sent to them via text
message after some days.

“Pressure is more now as customers are
strongly advised to do it otherwise they
cannot engage in any transaction in bank. By
end of June this year, every bank customer
should have registered”, an Operation
Manager working in one the commercial
banks in Lagos told Vanguard Sun Tech in
confidence.

According to her, there will be a time when
customers will spend more time in the
banking hall to enrol as there will be many
people waiting to be enrolled at the same
time.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director, Nigeria
Interbank Settlement System Plc, Mr. Ade
Shonubi, had earlier said that customers who
have completed the mandatory biometric
registration at any bank branch will start
collecting their Bank Verification Number
cards very soon.

He assured that no bank customer would be
charged for the cards and that lenders would
soon begin the distribution of the BVN cards.