Nigerians on social media are kicking against the latest decision of the federal government to get citizens’ self-certification biometrics.
Yesterday’s evening, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in a statement announced that the self-certification exercise is compulsory for every Nigerians who owns and operate accounts across financial institutions in the country.
It said Nigerians who own multiple accounts across banks must physically visit each of the financial institutions, obtain, fill and submit the forms which will be received from them.
A similar directive, Bank Verification Number (BVN) introduced years ago is yet to be fully complied with by majority of Nigerians. As of 29 December 2019, only a little over 40 million active bank accounts were linked to a Bank Verification Number (BVN), while about 80 million bank accounts exist without BVN according to data from Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).
“This is to notify the general public that all account holders in Financial Institutions (Banks, Insurance Companies, etc) are required to obtain, complete and submit Self – Certification Forms to their respective Financial Institutions,” the Twitter handle of the government announced.
“Persons holding accounts in different financial institutions is required to complete & submit the form to each one of the institutions. The forms are required by the relevant financial institutions to carry out due diligence procedures in line with the Income Tax Regulations 2019.
“The self-certification form is in 3 categories: – Form for Entity – For Controlling Person (Individuals having controlling interest in a legal person, trustee, etc) – Form for individual.
“Failure to comply with the requirement to administer or execute this form attracts sanctions which may include monetary penalty or inability to operate the account. For more enquiries visit
@firsNigeria website (http://firs.gov.ng) for more details,” it added in the statement.
Condemning the decision of the government, Nigerians were querying which biometrics the government was looking for that are not on the National Identify Card, BVN, Voters Cards and Driver’s license. Most of them also kicked against the timing due to COVID-19 pandemic disease.
Below are few reactions of Nigerians to the decision.
I just wonder if the FG really know the right policy to make, after being extorted just to get the National ID card registration done,the hectic stress of BVN,now it is Self certification just in guise of extorting the people legally. This is just a nonsense upon stilt
— Sam George ???????? (@SamAkindipe) September 17, 2020
To fight corruption, a new anti-graft agency apart from EFCC, ICPC etc must be created.
To verify people, BVN and NIN, National ID & other forms of biometric verification are no longer enough.
Is this how we'll be watching as Buhari is using all of us to catch cruise?
— Tope Akinyode (@TopeAkinyode) September 18, 2020
What would be the details on that your Self Certification Form that can't be found on National ID , International Passport or BVN?
No be me go stand for sun because i wan send certify myself for my Father's Land. Other Countries are in 2020, we are in 1959
— Mr Influencer (@McNotindome) September 18, 2020
Small time they will ask us to go and bring the left finger of our dead grand mothers. Because after BVN, Drivers Licence, International Passport, Birth Certificate, SIM registration, National ID card, I don’t know what else they want.
— AJALA TRAVEL (@ayam_Vicoyet) September 18, 2020
BVN. Driver's license. National ID card. INEC registration. International passport. Biometrics were taken in all these places. So, what is the meaning of this?
— Olusegun Adeniyi (@Olusegunverdict) September 17, 2020
I have National ID, International Passport, BVN, Drivers License. Hold that Self Certification to yourself, i don't need it
And Nothing must happen to my Money for Bank o. I Mean nothing must happen to my Money
— Mr Influencer (@McNotindome) September 18, 2020
This is just so sad. We did National ID Card and BVN now we need Self Certification again else it will attract monetary penalty. They even said if you have 10 banks you have to go submit the self-certification stuff in all the 10 financial institutions. Na wa for this Naija o
— Hon. Meshach (@___meshach) September 17, 2020
National ID Card, BVN, Voters card, international passport, Drivers License yet all these aren’t enough to verify ourselves. Now it’s self-certification- don’t forget its because of tax on all the money that drops into your bank even if you help person collect the money
— Hon. Meshach (@___meshach) September 17, 2020
It's really simple. We stop using the banks.
You have BVN, national id, drivers license, international passports etc and still can't verify accounts?
The citizens must be made to pay for the ineffectivenes of govt.
Perish this idea.
Many of us won't operate our accounts anymore. https://t.co/1QwzLspiol— Goddy (@i2much4dem) September 17, 2020
Has Covid-19 disappeared in Nigeria cos all of a sudden now the FG want people to fill up bank halls in mass to fill one Self-Certification forms. What's the essence of BVN, Driver's license, National ID, INEC registration, International passport, Biometrics were all taken.
— Timmy Studios (@Timmysevenseven) September 17, 2020
I'm very certain banks will reject this federal government policies.
BVN & National ID are useless right?— That Ekiti Man???? ???????? (@am_livingspring) September 17, 2020
Just keep Shut Dia. Don't you people get tired of acting tired?
So what's the use of BVN, International Passport, National ID and Drivers License?
Just answer this question before you continue this your speech
— Mr Influencer (@McNotindome) September 17, 2020
Self-Certification? After BVN, National ID, International ID, Drivers ID, Voters ID.
Tuahhhhhhhh https://t.co/MwhCEfsplY— Ekemini Akpan (@MrEkemini) September 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/timohmati1/status/1306742445812658177?s=20
In case you’re wondering what FG is saying, this is in connection with the commencement of automatic exchange of taxpayers information between Nigeria with other countries. https://t.co/g450Wf3lnb
— Taiwo Oyedele (@taiwoyedele) September 17, 2020
Na you do National ID card, na you do SIM registration, you even did Bank Verification Number to align accounts but you are here again talking “Self-Certification. Even if you are confused about running government, can you at least pretend not to be confused?
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/TalktoRichy/status/1306737459993235456?s=20
So you want to tell me after having National ID, Voters Card and Even BVN said to be connected to my bank accounts. I will Coman fill form again to tell you who I am (self certification). One day we will submit our social media handles expecially this twitter ????????????
— Oluwa Mi Shindara (@AdeyinkaAdeshi6) September 17, 2020
Is there any other way to explain how clueless this administration is? I registered for this National ID card in 2014 and waited for three years without any result. I registered for another one in 2017 and I’m still waiting. Ordinary ID card o. https://t.co/mmvS0h6SqN
— Tunde Ososanya (@TundeOsosanya) September 17, 2020
The Buhari regime behaves like a stubborn witch that is determined to kill its victim by all means. They don't even pretend about the fact that they want to foist hardship on the citizens. Asking people to line up in banks and fill forms despite National ID and BVN is ludicrous.
— Inibehe Effiong (@InibeheEffiong) September 17, 2020
I'm telling my company to pay me in cash as from this month. I'm withdrawing my money and closing all my accounts. Buhari won't make me run mad, what's the meaning of this? So National ID, voters card no dey enough Abi?
Wicked set of fools.
— Duke of Ilawe Ekiti ???????? (@TheOluwaferanmi) September 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/Lad_Vybz/status/1306731931426578433?s=20
Did our BVN stop working? Or has the government lost all the data collected through biometrics during National ID Card, PVC and International Passports? https://t.co/5mtXKyp4t6
— Umar Mikail (@UmarMikail) September 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/BiggyUpdates/status/1306730052969734144?s=20
In this 21century, Nigerian govts aren't think of how to improve the life of their people. But they wants us to go & queue for Self Certificate. After having National ID. Driver's License. BVN & Voters Card. For how long are we going to continue enduring madness in this country?
— IFÁ FUNSHO ???? (@funshographix) September 17, 2020
So BVN, National ID and Voter's Card ain't enough in this country, what's Self-Certification again fgs.?? ????♂????
— F A A R E E S ???? ???????? (@MFaarees_) September 17, 2020
After BVN, National ID, and other means of identification already gotten, I think for Self-Certification, we'll have to drop our blood cos I don't get this country again
— Vicky too much Trouble ???????? (@VickyShegzy) September 17, 2020
We haven't gotten the National ID card we applied for years back. Now they're asking us to go and queue up in banks (during a pandemic) to fill a form? Why exactly?
— Aaron???????????? (@Arphaxad09) September 17, 2020
This administration should try a little to hide its gross lack of direction.
So, National ID, the Almighty BVN, Drivers Licence, Voters Card, et al, are not enough "self-certification" ?
It's even worse taking cognizance of the fact that we are still dealing with a pandemic.
????????♂️ https://t.co/tSRWxlsPOR— Samson #ENDBADGOVERNANCE (@Abbah_Esq) September 17, 2020
