CITIZENS COMPASS— Some financial institutions have sent strong messages to their customers to ensure that they link either their National Identification Number (NIN) or Tax Identification Number (TIN) to their accounts or risk being denied access to such accounts in 2026.
Among the banks which sent such messages were Access Bank, Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Fidelity Bank, and Ecobank among others.
This follows the newly signed Nigerian Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025. The law requires every account holder to have a valid national or tax ID linked to their bank profile by January 1, 2026.
Customers who fail to meet the deadline may find their accounts restricted, with normal banking services such as withdrawals and transfers suspended until proper verification is done.
Fidelity Bank, in a message shared with customers on Wednesday, November 12, said, “This implies that accounts without Tax ID or National Identity Number may be restricted from transacting as from January 1, 2026. To ensure your account remains accessible, please update your NIN on your account as soon as possible.”
The bank advised that customers could complete the process online via its NIN update portal, use the USSD code 77002#, or visit any Fidelity branch for assistance.
Ecobank also issued its own reminder, asking customers to link their details on or before November 13, 2025. “You can easily link your NIN and update your account details through the Ecobank Customer Information Portal,” the bank noted, adding that the procedure is quick and straightforward.
These updates come after the federal government announced sweeping tax reforms earlier in September. The reforms include four new laws — the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) 2025, the Nigerian Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025 — all of which will take effect from January 1, 2026.
Financial analysts say the integration of tax records with bank accounts will make tax evasion nearly impossible. “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 financial expert Osas Igho.
While the government pushes for stricter compliance, experts have also advised citizens to take advantage of legitimate tax deductions to reduce their liabilities. Under the new Personal Income Tax Act, taxpayers must now apply for specific reliefs — including rent-based deductions capped at ₦500,000 —since the former automatic Consolidated Relief Allowance (CRA) has been removed.
The revised tax system also changes how taxable income is calculated, combining profits from business, employment, investments, and capital gains before applying approved deductions.
With these policies, Nigeria’s financial sector is entering a new era of stricter oversight and digital transparency, as authorities work to widen the country’s tax base and improve revenue generation.
