AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
Give your bank the line you expect to keep longest, that is registered and linked to your NIN in your own name, and that you will keep active with regular use, because that number receives your alerts and OTPs, dials your USSD banking and sits on your BVN record. A secondary line used for cheap data, shared with family, or likely to lapse while you travel is the wrong choice.
Why the choice matters more than it seems
The number on your bank profile does several jobs at once. It receives SMS alerts and OTPs. It is the number your bank's USSD code must be dialled from. It is the number on your BVN record, which NIBSS links across every bank you use. And it is usually the recovery route if you forget a password.
Changing it later is not trivial. NIBSS states that updates to BVN customer information are done physically at bank branches, and ThisDay reported in March 2026 that a CBN addendum allows phone number amendments on a BVN only once. NIBSS's *565*0# service, which returns your BVN, also only works when dialled from the phone number registered for that BVN. Picking the right line now saves a branch visit and a once-only change later.
The four tests
| Test | Why | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| You will keep it for years | Every change means updating each bank and possibly the BVN | Is this your long-standing personal number, not a promo or work line? |
| Registered and NIN-linked in your name | Unlinked lines can be barred; NCC directed operators to bar unverified lines, as NAN reported in July 2024 | Dial 996, the NCC's universal code for checking SIM registration and NIN-SIM linkage |
| You keep it active | Inactive lines can be disconnected and recycled to someone else | Use it for calls or recharge regularly |
| Only you hold it | Shared or family lines put your OTPs in someone else's hands | Is the SIM in a phone only you use? |
Keeping the bank line alive
Many Nigerians use one network for data and another for calls, and the bank line can quietly fall silent. Networks recycle lines that go unused. MTN's Keep My Number page describes protection for prepaid lines inactive or dormant for more than 180 days, and Airtel's describes the same for lines inactive for over 180 days; both say an unprotected inactive number may be disconnected or recycled.
- MTN Keep My Number
- 1 year ₦3,500 (*365*1#), 2 years ₦5,000, 3 years ₦7,500, prepaid only, per MTN's page as checked October 2026
- Airtel Keep My Number
- 1 year ₦2,000 (*494*1#), 2 years ₦3,500, 3 years ₦5,000, prepaid only, per Airtel's page as checked October 2026
These are useful if you travel for long periods. For most people at home, a small recharge and regular use keeps the line active. Check the network's page for the current price before subscribing.
What happens if you get it wrong
The cost of a bad choice usually shows up at the worst moment. You try to approve a transfer abroad and the OTP goes to a line that is switched off at home. You lose the phone with the bank line inside, and the spare line in your new phone cannot dial your bank's USSD block code because it is not registered. Or a line you forgot about is recycled, and a stranger starts receiving alerts showing your balance. Each of these is avoidable by choosing deliberately once and keeping that line in use.
Situations that need extra thought
Work or company lines
A line your employer pays for may be withdrawn when you leave. Keep your bank on a personal line.
A spouse's or parent's line
Registering an account to a family member's number is common for older parents or teenagers. It means the other person receives every OTP. That may be your intention, but it should be a choice, not an accident. See helping an older parent for safer ways to share oversight.
Business accounts
Use a line controlled by the business owner or a director, not by a staff member who could leave. If several people need to see alerts, add them through the bank's own user or approval settings rather than sharing one SIM between them.
Steps: moving your bank to the right line
- Confirm the chosen line is NIN-linked by dialling 996.
- List every bank and fintech app that uses the old line.
- Update each bank by its approved route; see updating your phone number with the bank.
- Ask whether the BVN record also needs changing, remembering the once-only limit.
- Set a SIM PIN on the bank line; see SIM PIN and SIM lock.
Where Pryme fits
Because Pryme login codes come from an authenticator app rather than SMS, your account does not depend on one SIM for sign-in codes. Keep your phone number on Pryme up to date all the same; see Pryme security.
Questions people ask
Which SIM should I use for my bank account?
The line you will keep longest, registered and NIN-linked in your name, kept active, and in a phone only you use. Avoid promo, work or shared lines.
Can I use my second SIM for bank alerts?
Yes, if it passes the same tests. Many problems come from a secondary line lapsing or being recycled while the bank still sends OTPs to it.
How do I check if my line is linked to my NIN?
Dial 996, the NCC's universal short code for checking SIM registration and NIN-SIM linkage, from that line.
How long before an inactive line is recycled?
MTN and Airtel describe their Keep My Number services for lines inactive for more than 180 days and say unprotected inactive lines may be recycled. Use the line regularly to avoid this.
Sources
- NIBSS: Bank Verification Number (BVN), modified Oct 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- ThisDay: CBN building secured, stable financial system with stricter BVN rules (21 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- NCC Consumer Portal: Harmonised short codes for all service providers (7 Jun 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- NAN: NCC orders immediate reactivation of phone lines barred by telcos (30 Jul 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- MTN Nigeria: Keep My Number · accessed Oct 2026
- Airtel Nigeria: Keep My Number · 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.