By Babajide Komolafe

ANOTHER problem that necessitated the extension of the deadline for the BVN enrolment was technical in nature.

The standard procedure is that once the biometrics details (finger prints, facial features) of the customer are captured at the bank’s branch, the BVN is sent to him (or her) through SMS alert. Thus the customer should have his BVN not later than 48 hours after doing the biometric capture. I received mine within 24 hours.

But along the line, we started receiving complaints from bank customers that they were yet to receive their BVN weeks or months after doing  their biometric capture. Two of my colleagues, one a customer of UBA, the other a customer of Ecobank were yet to receive their BVN more than two months after their biometrics have been captured.

On Monday June 29th, a very close and aged relative, a customer of First Bank, also called to complain of not receiving his BVN since November last year when his biometrics were captured. Furthermore, similar complaints were posted on the Facebook pages of banks by their customers. Some of the complaints are reproduced below but without the names of the bank.

“I registered my BVN at XYZ bank two weeks ago! But up till now, there is no response concerning my BVN or should I go and register again? (Ezekiel Musa Demine) “I made my BVN last month at one of your branches in Bauchi but I never received any alert for BVN Number till date. Why? (Usman Abubakar Vulum)

“I haven’t received my BVN weeks after registering. What’s wrong with your services ABU?  (Umar Y. Giade)

“I went to the Lekki PH1 branch of ABU  bank for my BVN. I have registered since February, I have my ticket number. Kindly, assist as I have been going to the bank since that time and I haven’t received my BVN” (Martina O Kaeme )

Surprisingly, the regulatory authorities, when contacted first dismissed these complaints saying it was not possible.

Investors Forum was made to understand that once the biometrics of the customer is captured and sent to the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), the company then generates the BVN for the customer and send directly to him via SMS. So the response to the complaints was that it was not possible that their biometrics has been captured and they did not get the SMS for their BVN.

Network failure

Later, the explanation was that the delay might have been due to network failure on the part of the Telecommunications companies that provide the SMS service. But on June 30th, an official of NIBSS said, “Maybe they had technical challenges but (they should) try and complete the process. We shall act on this information.”

It is quite baffling that, while the authorities were compelling bank customers to go and enrol for the BVN, with some banks threatening to deny non compliant customers access to their accounts, they were not aware of nor had resolved the technical problem bedeviling the exercise. This ignorance or negligence contributed to the confusion and crowd that swelled the banks few days to the June 30th initial deadline.  (Send comments and enquiries to [email protected])