Three numbers keep turning up on Nigerian forms: your NIN, your BVN and your Tax ID. They come from different places and do different jobs. NIMC issues the NIN, banks use the BVN, and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), formerly FIRS, and the Joint Revenue Board issue the Tax ID.
Your NIN is the thread to pull first, because the Tax ID is linked to it. This post sorts out which is which. It is part of our NIN and NIMC guides.
The three numbers side by side
| Number | Who deals with it | What it is for | Where you fix it |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIN | NIMC issues it | Your national identity record | NIMC's self-service portal |
| BVN | Your bank | Your bank records | Ask your bank |
| Tax ID | the NRS and the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), jointly | Your tax records | The NIN record the lookup uses, for an individual |
The NIN
Your NIN is your National Identification Number. NIMC issues it, and standard enrolment is free.
Details on the record can be corrected later. A date of birth costs ₦28,574 and NIMC allows it only once. Other fields cost ₦2,000, and both fees date from 2 May 2025. See what a NIN is used for and how to get one.
The BVN
The BVN is a bank number. NIMC issues the NIN, not the BVN.
How a BVN detail is corrected is for your bank to say. We do not have steps for it here. See linking your NIN to your bank account.
The Tax ID
The Tax ID went live on 1 Jan 2026. The old TIN was replaced by the new Tax ID from 1 Jan 2026.
For an individual, the Tax ID is linked to your NIN. For a business, it is linked to its CAC registration number. Guides describe it as a separate number, usually 13 digits, and you look it up at taxid.nrs.gov.ng.
A valid Tax ID is needed for banking, employment records, government contracts and statutory filings. Read what the new Tax ID is and Tax ID vs TIN for more.
When the three disagree
- Download your NIN slip in NINAuth at ninauth.nimc.gov.ng. It costs free. Read the name and date of birth.
- Compare them with your earliest document, such as a birth certificate.
- If the NIN is wrong, correct it on NIMC's portal at selfservicemodification.nimc.gov.ng. The Tax ID lookup needs details that match the NIN record, so that fix can help there too.
- If the NIN is right, leave it alone. For a BVN, ask your bank what it needs.
Small differences count. A swapped surname or a day-and-month slip can stop a Tax ID lookup, which needs names and dates of birth to match the NIN record exactly.
A date of birth is the risky one, because it can be changed only once. Read NIN and BVN showing different dates of birth before you pay. If the Tax ID search fails, see Tax ID lookup not matching your NIN.
Common mistakes
- Treating the Tax ID as the NIN. It is linked to the NIN, and guides describe a different number.
- Changing the NIN to match a wrong BVN. A NIN date of birth can be changed only once.
- Asking NIMC to fix a BVN. It is a bank number, so ask your bank what it needs.
- Handing your NIN to anyone who promises to link all three. The three numbers sit with different bodies, so check who is doing the work. See how to spot a fake NIMC website.
If the NIN record is the one that needs fixing, you can start a NIN modification with Docufy. It collects your details in the right format, a vetted partner firm files it, and NIMC decides it. A NIN modification needs no office visit unless you change your photo.