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The short answer
Block the money first: many banks have an emergency code that works from another phone, such as Access Bank’s *901*911# or Keystone’s *7111*911#. Then block the SIM, lock or erase the phone with Find Hub (Android) or Find My (iPhone), and log in on a new phone, which on one-device banking apps deactivates the old one.
The order that matters
When a phone is lost or stolen, there are three separate things to shut down: the money (your bank and fintech accounts), the phone (its data and sessions), and the SIM (which receives your codes). People often start with the phone because it feels most urgent. Start with the money. A thief who gets into a banking app can move funds in minutes; the photos can wait.
- Block or freeze your bank accounts from another phone (codes below).
- Call your network to block the SIM.
- Lock or erase the phone remotely.
- Sign the phone out of your Google or Apple account and your email.
- Set up banking on your new phone, which on many apps ends the old device’s access.
The wider checklist, including police reports, is in phone stolen: how to protect your bank accounts.
Step 1: stop the money from another phone
Many Nigerian banks publish a code or route that works from a different phone. These come from each bank’s own pages as read in October 2026; check your bank’s site or call its official line if your bank is not listed.
| Bank or app | Route from another phone | What the bank’s page says |
|---|---|---|
| Access Bank | *901*911# | Blocks the account; works from any phone, needs your USSD PIN |
| Keystone Bank | *7111*911# | Listed for a lost phone, dialled from any phone |
| Moniepoint | *5573*911# > Stop Debit Transactions > For Others | Someone else dials, enters your phone or account number and your PIN; blocks all your Moniepoint accounts |
Other banks publish similar "911" codes or hotlines on their own USSD or fraud pages. Find yours now, before you need it, and see USSD banking fraud for how these codes fit into USSD security.
Step 2: block the SIM
Call your network’s customer care from another phone and ask them to block the line. This stops SMS OTPs and USSD reaching whoever has the phone. Then get a replacement SIM on the same number, with your ID, at an official centre.
Step 3: lock or erase the phone
Android: Find Hub
Google’s help page (which now calls the service Find Hub) says you can go to google.com/android/find, sign in, and choose to play a sound, mark the device as lost, or erase it. Marking as lost locks the phone with its PIN, pattern or password and disables notifications and quick access, and you can show a contact message on the lock screen. For any of this to work, Google says the phone must have power, be on mobile data or Wi-Fi, be signed in to a Google Account, have Find Hub turned on and be visible on Google Play.
Erasing is permanent. Google warns that once a phone is factory reset it no longer appears in Find Hub, so you cannot track it afterwards. Erase only when you have given up on getting it back, or when you are sure sensitive data is at risk.
iPhone: Find My
Use Find My from another Apple device or a browser to put the phone into Lost Mode, then erase it if needed. If you had Stolen Device Protection on, Apple says turning off Lost Mode and erasing the phone require Face ID or Touch ID away from familiar places, so a thief who only knows your passcode is stuck. See iPhone settings for banking apps.
Step 4: end sessions on your accounts
- Google Account: remove the lost phone from your account’s list of devices. If your Google Authenticator codes were synced, Google says removing the device is part of protecting them.
- Apple Account: remove the phone from your device list after putting it in Lost Mode.
- Email apps and WhatsApp: sign out other sessions from the web or your new phone.
- Password change: change your email password from a clean device, which ends other sessions on most services.
Step 5: can your bank de-link the old phone?
Here practice differs by bank, and most do not publish a self-service "remove device" button you can use from someone else’s phone. What does help is the one-device rule. Reports of the CBN’s BVN rules from 1 May 2026 (Channels TV, April 2026) say banking apps should work on one device at a time, and that logging in on a new device deactivates the old one and triggers checks, with a ₦20,000 limit in the first 24 hours on the new device. Keystone’s Keymobile page also says one device per app, with new-device login needing password, PIN and OTP by SMS and email. Moniepoint says to contact support to deactivate a device, and requires face verification to register a new one.
So once you have a replacement SIM, logging in to your bank app on a new phone is often the fastest way to cut the old one off. Until then, block the account using the codes above and call the bank to confirm the old device is removed. If you need to move your number, see updating your phone number with the bank.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme sign-in approval uses an authenticator app rather than SMS, so a blocked SIM does not lock you out, and transfers need your transaction PIN. Keep your authenticator backed up as described in setting up an authenticator app, and see the security page.
Questions people ask
How do I block my bank account when my phone is stolen?
Use your bank’s emergency code from another phone if it has one, such as Access Bank’s *901*911# or Keystone’s *7111*911#, or call the bank’s official line. Then block the SIM with your network.
Can I log out of my bank app from another phone?
Few banks offer a self-service remote log-out. Blocking the account, then logging in on a new phone (which on one-device apps deactivates the old one), and calling the bank are the practical routes.
How do I erase my lost Android phone?
Go to google.com/android/find, sign in and choose the erase option. Google says the phone then no longer appears in Find Hub.
Should I erase my phone immediately?
Block your bank accounts and SIM first, then mark the phone as lost. Erase when you are sure you will not recover it or data is at risk, since you cannot track it afterwards.
Sources
- Android Help: Find, lock or erase a lost Android device · accessed Oct 2026
- Apple Support: About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone · accessed Oct 2026
- Access Bank: USSD banking FAQ · accessed Oct 2026
- Keystone Bank: Keymobile app · accessed Oct 2026
- Moniepoint Support: Account login and security · accessed Oct 2026
- Channels TV: What you must know as CBN tightens BVN rules from May 1, 8 Apr 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.