Reports reaching the desk of Africa Today News, New York has it that a date has been set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to freeze bank accounts without a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or National Identification Number (NIN).
According to the CBN, bank accounts without NIN and BVN will be restricted from April 2024.
This was contained in a circular jointly signed by CBN Director, Payment System Management Department, Chibuzo Efobi, and Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Haruna Mustapha, which was ontained by Africa Today News, New York on Saturday.
The circular reads: ‘Effective March 1, 2024, all funded accounts or wallets shall be placed on Post No Debit or Credit and no further transactions permitted.
‘It is mandatory for ALL Tier-1 bank accounts and wallets for individuals to have BVN and/or NIN, it said, adding that ‘it remains mandatory for Tiers 2 and 3 accounts and wallets for individual accounts to have BVN and NIN.’
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The Central Bank warned that the BVN or NIN attached to and/or associated with all accounts/wallets must be electronically revalidated by January 31, 2024, while also announcing that, effective immediately, no new Tier 1 accounts and wallets should be opened without BVN or NIN.
CBN said a comprehensive BVN and NIN audit will be conducted shortly and where breaches are identified, appropriate sanctions will be applied.
Recall that the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, had earlier made it clear that there was no explicit prohibition on the importation or sale of the 43 items in Nigeria.
Mr. Cardoso presented this clarification during the 58th Annual Bankers’ Dinner, organized by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria on Friday in Lagos.
However, he went on to explain that the apex bank had instituted limitations on accessing foreign exchange for the importation of these items.