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How to update the phone number or email on your NIN

Here is how to update the phone number or email linked to your NIN on NIMC's self-service portal, and why the update sometimes fails.

2 min readBy the Docufy editorial team

Quick answer

You can update the phone number or email on your NIN through NIMC's self-service portal for ₦2,000, the fee NIMC's price list sets for any field other than date of birth. Use the same device and browser you registered with, since a mismatch is a common reason this kind of update stalls.

Fee
₦2,000
Where
NIMC self-service portal
Device rule
the same device and browser used to create the account
Covers
phone number and email
On this page

NIMC uses the phone number and email on your record to reach you about it, so an old number or a closed email account is worth fixing before it causes a problem elsewhere.

Here is how to update either one on the self-service portal.

Why keeping this current matters

Services that check your identity against your NIN sometimes rely on the contact details NIMC holds. If those details are wrong, a message that matters to you can go nowhere.

This update is also usually quicker to prepare for than a name or date of birth change, since there is no legal document involved. What takes the most care here is not the paperwork but making sure you do not accidentally lock yourself out of the account while changing how NIMC reaches you.

Before you start

Log in using the same device and browser you registered your account with. NIMC's rule is the same device and browser used to create the account, and it matters even more here, since losing access to your account partway through a contact-details update can leave you unable to confirm the change at all.

Make sure you can still receive messages on your current phone number or email until the update goes through, in case the portal needs to confirm the change that way.

Steps to update your phone number or email

  1. Log in to NIMC's self-service portal.
  2. Select the modification option for phone number or email.
  3. Enter the new detail carefully — a single wrong digit or character defeats the point of updating it.
  4. Follow whatever verification step the portal presents.
  5. Submit and pay the fee.

If you would rather hand the form-filling to someone else, a vetted partner firm can take this request from your phone and pass it on.

Paying and what can go wrong

The fee is ₦2,000, the charge NIMC's price list sets for any field other than date of birth.

A common reason this kind of update stalls is losing access to the number or inbox the portal is trying to confirm the change through. If you are changing both, update your phone number first, confirm it works, then move to your email, so one channel stays open while the other changes.

Common mistakes

  • Changing both contact details at once and losing access to both. Update one, confirm it works, then update the other.
  • Assuming your telco updates automatically. Your SIM registration and your NIN contact details are separate records.
  • Switching devices partway through. Stick to the device and browser you registered with.

For your address instead, see how to change your address on your NIN. For every other change, browse the NIN and NIMC hub or the step-by-step NIN modification guide.

Questions people ask

Why would a phone number or email update fail?

A common reason on identity portals generally is losing access to whichever number or inbox the system uses to confirm a change, so keep your current details working until the update completes.

Is the fee different for an email update versus a phone number?

NIMC has not published separate fees for each. Both fall under its fee for any field other than date of birth, ₦2,000.

Can I update my phone number if I no longer have the SIM linked to my NIN?

Start the request on the self-service portal and follow whatever verification it asks for. NIMC has not published a specific process for this situation, so contact NIMC directly if the portal does not offer a way through.

Do I need to update this with my telco too?

Yes. These are separate records, so updating your NIN does not change what your telco has on file, or the other way round.

Can I use the same phone number for more than one NIN?

This article covers updating your own record, not sharing a number across NINs. Use whichever number and email you personally have ongoing access to.

Is this cheaper than a name or address change?

No. NIMC's price list sets one fee for any field other than date of birth — it names name and address specifically, and phone number and email fall under that same fee, ₦2,000.

Sources

Last checked 27 Sep 2026. Fees and rules change; the agency that issues the document has the final word. See our editorial policy.

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