How do I check my NIN using USSD?
Dial *346# from the phone number registered to your NIN. A welcome menu appears. Press 1 to select NIN Retrieval.
- Confirm you're using your NIMC-registered phone number.
- Dial *346# and press call.
- When the menu appears, press 1 for "Retrieve your NIN".
- Your NIN displays on screen within seconds.
This carries a fee of roughly ₦20, deducted from your airtime. It works across MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile. The network doesn't matter, only whether the SIM is the specific one linked to your NIN record.
How do I check my NIN through the NIMC portal?
If you don't have access to your registered phone number, or you'd rather not pay the USSD fee, NIMC's official self-service channels let you retrieve or verify your NIN online at no cost.
- Go to NIMC's official website at nimc.gov.ng.
- Use the verification or self-service option and follow the identity-confirmation steps shown.
- Have your enrolment details (name, date of birth, and any tracking ID from your original enrolment) ready. The portal needs to confirm your identity before releasing your NIN.
Use only the official nimc.gov.ng domain. Copycat "NIN checker" sites are common, especially during periods when NIN-SIM linking is being enforced, and some ask for far more personal information than NIMC's own portal ever would.
What if I don't have my registered phone number anymore?
The USSD method only works from that specific line. If you've lost it, changed SIMs, or the number was deactivated for inactivity, *346# won't return your NIN. In that case, use the NIMC portal above, or visit a NIMC enrolment centre in person with a valid means of identification.
What if I've never enrolled for a NIN?
These checking methods only work if you're already enrolled. If you don't yet have a NIN, enrolment happens at a NIMC centre or an accredited enrolment agent. You'll provide your biodata and go through biometric capture (fingerprints and a facial image) before a NIN is generated and issued to you.
For the full picture on NIN enrolment, linking your NIN to your SIM, and fixing a NIN that doesn't match your other records, see Explainer.NG's complete NIN guide.
People also ask
Is *346# free?
No. It costs approximately ₦20, deducted from your airtime. NIMC's own online portal is the free alternative if you'd rather avoid the charge.
Does *346# work on any network?
Yes. MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile all support it. What matters is that the phone is the specific one registered to your NIN, not which network it's on.
Can I check my NIN for someone else?
Only from their registered phone number, or with their consent using the NIMC portal and their identity details. Don't share your own NIN retrieval results with anyone who isn't you.
What does it mean to "validate" or "verify" your NIN?
For an individual, this usually just means confirming the NIN you have is correct, which the *346# or portal methods above already do. NIMC's official Verification Service (NVS) is a separate, institutional tool built for banks, employers and government agencies to confirm a customer's NIN against the NIMC database, not a self-service action an individual runs on their own NIN.