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The short answer
To open a savings account for a child in Nigeria, a parent or guardian applies at the bank with the child's birth certificate (or passport), the child's NIN where the bank asks for it, the adult's valid ID and BVN, a utility bill and passport photographs of both. The adult operates the account in trust until the child comes of age. GTBank, for example, lists the child's NIN and the guardian's NIN among its Smart Kids Save requirements.
Who can open the account and who controls it
A minor cannot enter a bank contract alone, so the account is opened by a parent or legal guardian who becomes the signatory. Access Bank describes its Early Savers account as opened and operated by parents in trust until adulthood; UBA says the parent or guardian operates its Teens account until the child comes of age. In practice this means the money belongs to the child, but only the signatory can move it.
If you are not the child's parent, for example a grandparent or an aunt raising the child, ask the bank before you go what proof of guardianship it accepts. Banks set their own rules on this and some may ask for a court document or a letter from the parents.
The documents banks ask for
Requirements differ slightly by bank. Here is what three banks list on their own product pages, read in October 2026:
| Document | Access Early Savers | GTBank Smart Kids Save | UBA Kiddies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account opening form | Yes | Not listed separately | Yes (with signature form for Teens) |
| Child's birth certificate | Birth certificate or international passport | Yes | Birth certificate or passport |
| Child's NIN | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Parent or guardian's ID | NIN, voter's card, international passport or driver's licence | NIN | Yes |
| Parent's BVN | Yes | BVN and/or NIN of each signatory | Not listed on page |
| Proof of address | Proof of residence | Utility bill | Utility bill |
| Passport photographs | One each of child and guardian | One each of signatory and child | Yes |
| Other | Parent's TIN | None listed | Lite version needs fewer documents |
Carry originals and photocopies of everything. If the child has no birth certificate yet, that is your first errand, because every bank above asks for it or a passport.
Getting the child's NIN first
Because some banks now ask for the child's NIN, sort it out before the bank visit. A Techpoint Africa guide (updated June 2025) says NIN enrolment is free and that children aged 0 to 15 are enrolled with a parent's NIN and the child's birth certificate at an enrolment centre. Confirm the current process with the National Identity Management Commission before you go.
Steps to open the account
- Choose the bank. If you already bank there, funding by standing instruction is easier. Our comparison of children's savings accounts by bank sets out ages, opening amounts and stated rates.
- Gather the documents in the table, plus the child's NIN slip if the bank asks.
- Visit a branch with the child if the bank wants to see them; ask when you phone.
- Complete the form and signature card. You sign as the operator.
- Make the opening deposit. Access, GTBank and UBA each state ₦1,000 on their pages.
- Set up a monthly standing instruction from your own account. Access explains how on its app: Show All, then Transfer, then Scheduled Transfers.
- Keep the account number and first statement safely; the child will need them later.
What changes when the child grows up
Kids accounts usually run to 12, teen accounts to 17. GTBank says Smart Kids Save converts to a savings or current account after 18; UBA's Teens page does not say what happens at 18. Ask your bank and plan for the young person to bring their own ID, NIN and BVN at that point. A teen card, where offered, is issued at the parent's request; GTBank's SKS Teen comes with a Mastercard and UBA Teens with a debit card on which parents set limits.
A child's account or a pot in your own name?
Both work, and many parents use both. The deciding question is whose money it should be. Money in the child's account is held for the child, which protects it from being treated as household cash and makes a clear record of what was saved for them. Money in your own savings stays yours, so you can redirect it if plans change, for example from a private secondary school to a state university, but it is also easier to spend on something else in a hard month.
- Child's account
- Belongs to the child; you operate it in trust; teen cards possible; converts at adulthood
- Your own savings pot
- Belongs to you; full flexibility; needs discipline to keep it ring-fenced for the child
Common mistakes
- Opening the account and never funding it. A ₦1,000 opening balance with no standing instruction stays a ₦1,000 account.
- Withdrawing too often. UBA Kiddies loses that month's interest after more than four withdrawals.
- Using the child's account as a spare for the household. It is held in trust for the child.
- Losing track of the account when you change banks. Keep a note of the branch and account number with the child's papers.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme accounts are for adults, so Pryme does not open accounts in a child's name. A parent can still set money aside for a child in their own Naira Savings Boxes, for instance a Fixed Box earmarked for the child's future fees, while a bank account holds money in the child's name. For the bigger picture, see saving for your child's university and a fixed deposit in a child's name.
Questions people ask
What documents do I need to open an account for my child?
Usually the child's birth certificate or passport, your valid ID and BVN, a utility bill, passport photos of you both and the bank's form. GTBank also lists the child's and guardian's NIN.
Does my child need a NIN to open a bank account?
Some banks ask for it: GTBank lists the child's NIN for Smart Kids Save. Others, such as Access Early Savers, list a birth certificate or passport instead.
Can a grandparent open a savings account for a child?
Ask the bank first. Banks set their own proof-of-guardianship rules and may want a letter from the parents or a court document.
What happens to my child's account at 18?
GTBank says Smart Kids Save converts to a savings or current account after 18. Other banks set their own rules, so ask when opening.
Sources
- Access Bank: Early Savers Account · accessed Oct 2026
- GTBank: Smart Kids Save · accessed Oct 2026
- UBA: Kiddies Savings Account · accessed Oct 2026
- UBA: Teens Account · accessed Oct 2026
- Techpoint Africa: Everything you need to know about NIN in Nigeria (updated 4 Jun 2025) · 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.