Access, Zenith, UBA, Other Banks Give New Deadline for Customers to Link Tax ID, NIN to Accounts
- Nigerian banks have issued ultimatum to their customers to link their NINs or tax IDs or risk account restrictions
- The move is in line with Nigeria’s new tax laws, requiring bank account holders to link their NINs or tax IDs
- The financial institutions warned that accounts that are not linked to NINs or tax IDs will not be allowed to operate
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Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Several Nigerian banks, including Access, Zenith, UBA, Fidelity, and Ecobank, have issued fresh directives to customers to link their National Identification Numbers (NIN) or Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) to their bank accounts ahead of January 1, 2026.
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According to official notices sent to customers, the banks said the mandate follows the new Nigerian Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025, which requires all bank accounts to be tied to a valid tax or national ID before the new year begins.
Failure to comply could result in account restrictions, blocking customers from performing financial transactions from the effective date.
Fidelity Bank issues public notice to customers
In a message to its customers on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Fidelity Bank warned that any account not linked to a valid Tax ID or NIN by the deadline could face restrictions.
“This implies that accounts without Tax ID or National Identity Number may be restricted from transacting as from January 1, 2026,” the bank stated. “To ensure your account remains accessible, please update your NIN on your account as soon as possible.”
The bank also provided multiple update channels — through its website’s NIN portal, via USSD code *770*02#, or in any branch.
Ecobank sets November deadline for customers
Similarly, Ecobank has asked its customers to link their NINs on or before November 13, 2025, warning that non-compliance will lead to account restrictions.
Customers can update their information online via the Ecobank Customer Information Portal or by visiting a branch.
“You can easily link your NIN and update your account details through the Ecobank Customer Information Portal,” the bank advised, adding that the process only takes a few steps to complete.
New tax laws take effect January 2026
According to TheCable, the federal government gazetted a suite of tax reform laws on September 9, 2025, including:
- Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) 2025
- Nigerian Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025 Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025
- Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025
The reforms, which come into effect on January 1, 2026, aim to tighten compliance and improve Nigeria’s tax collection system.
Analysts say tax evasion will become nearly impossible
Experts warn that with the integration of bank accounts, NINs, and tax IDs, it will become increasingly difficult to evade taxes.
“Next year will be very interesting for Nigerians. It will be hard to evade taxes, especially if you have active bank accounts linked to your NIN,” said Osas Igho, a financial analyst, in a chat with Legit.ng.
Nigerians can still maximize tax savings
Meanwhile, a previous Legit.ng report revealed that Nigerians can still claim significant tax deductions under the updated Personal Income Tax Act (PIT).
Source: Twitter
The era of automatic Consolidated Relief Allowance (CRA) is over, taxpayers must now actively claim specific deductions to reduce their taxable income and improve compliance under the new regime.
New tax law replaces reliefs with rent-based deductions
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government has overhauled Nigeria’s personal income tax structure by eliminating the consolidated and personal relief allowances and replacing them with a new rent-based deduction capped at N500,000..
This reform is contained in the newly enacted Tax Act, which redefines how taxable income is calculated for individuals.
According to the Act, taxable income now comprises profits from business, employment, investments, and capital gains, with total income computed after all approved deductions are removed.
Source: Legit.ng
