Bank customers who turned out in their thousands on Tuesday for last-minute registration for Bank Verification Number (BVN) have hailed the decision to extend the exercise.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) extended the BVN deadline to October 31, to accommodate customers who had thronged the banks to beat an earlier closing date.
This is contained in a circular issued by the apex bank and signed by Mr Dipo Fatokun, Director, Banking and Payment System Department, in Abuja on Tuesday.
“It has come to our notice that the BVN registration has elicited tremendous interest from the Nigerian bank customers who crowded the banking halls in order to beat the deadline.
“In view of the foregoing, it has become imperative for the banks to extend the timeline for all customers to have the BVN.
“The deadline for the enrolment is hereby extended from June 30 to October 31,’’ it stated.
According to the statement, the extension is expected to facilitate a smooth completion of the registration exercise.
It further stated that the extension would give Nigerian bank customers in the Diaspora, ample time to enrol into the programme.
The statement, however, stated that the guideline for the enrolment of the Diaspora account holders was being finalised and would be released soon.
Reacting to the extension, customers who had thronged various branches of banks in Awka, Anambra State capital expressed their happiness with the decision.
Jubilation rented the air around the clustered banks as news of the extension filtered in.
The manager of a new generation bank who preferred anonymity broke the news to the customers who were outside the banks filling the forms for the registration.
Shortly after the announcement, the manager said: “Although we are not permitted to speak to the press, I can authoritatively tell all and sundry that we received an email from the CBN that BVN has been extended.’’
Emeka Unegbu, a civil servant, said he was relieved with the news and promised not to be caught in that kind of last-minute rush again.
“I thank the CBN for its magnanimity in extending the date, and henceforth when such a matter arises, I will be among the first to get mine done,” he said.
Njideka Ofor, a nurse, also praised the CBN for extending the deadline, saying that she was not sure of what would have befallen her if she could not be captured.
“I will first thank the CBN for this second chance given to us.
“I have a reasonable amount in the account and I do not know what would have happened to the money if I did not do registration,’’ she said.
Chief John Ilonze on his part, called on the CBN to place advertorial on televisions and radio for public enlightenment on the exercise and the extension.
“The CBN should place advertorials on the media both the print and electronic to sensitise the masses of this present situation and the expiration date,” he said.
