FirstBank

NIN and proof of address were both required at every single FirstBank visit Liners logged, the only bank besides Zenith where proof of address held true across the board. BVN blocked the process from starting at 4 of 5 visits.

This lines up with the wider Nigerian market. In Liners' 2026 Naira account opening study, NIN was requested in 96 of 100 walk-in visits overall, and BVN blocked the process from starting entirely at 42 of them.

1. Visit a FirstBank branch with your NIN, BVN and proof of address, expect to need all three.
2. Fill out the account opening form, or, at some branches, hand your documents over virtually. At the Okota branch, staff handled almost everything and the researcher only had to sign and send documents virtually.
3. Wait to be attended to.
4. Your account number typically arrives by SMS.
5. If you want a debit card, ask about the fee: the Bodija branch quoted ₦1,025 to ₦1,500.

FirstBank was rated 5 out of 5 at every single visit Liners logged in its 2026 field study, the most consistent top rating of any traditional bank alongside Polaris and Union Bank.

FirstBank is a retail banking and digital banking service for individuals in Nigeria and Nigerians in the diaspora who need day-to-day money management, payments, and cross-border transfers You can use it to manage accounts, cards, loans, payments, and transfers through web, mobile, and USSD channels.

FirstBank operates primarily in Nigeria and also serves diaspora customers in the United Kingdom, wider Europe, the Americas, Canada, and other global regions.

You can sign up through the bank’s account opening and digital banking channels, including web and the FirstMobile app. The site also supports account opening and account maintenance for personal banking customers.