The Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL) has issued a directive making the National Identification Number (NIN) mandatory for all individual banking transactions and financial services, a significant move aimed at strengthening the country’s financial system and accelerating digital integration.
Effective immediately, all new individual customer accounts must be opened with a valid NIN, issued by the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA). Similarly, businesses opening new accounts will now need to provide a Tax Identification Number (TIN) from the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
This directive is part of a wider initiative to improve customer verification, bolster financial integrity, combat fraud, and enhance interoperability within Sierra Leone’s expanding digital financial ecosystem.
Existing account holders are required to update their records with their NINs by December 31, 2025. Failure to comply could lead to restricted access to banking services. The Central Bank also stressed that customers who wish to use the National Payment Switch (NPS)—a system designed to streamline and connect digital transactions across financial institutions—must link their NIN to their bank accounts by August 31, 2025.
The BSL stated in its announcement, “The mandatory use of the National Identification Number will improve the accuracy of customer identification and strengthen the financial sector’s resilience against fraud and identity-related crimes.”
The NIN, a unique and verifiable identifier, is issued by the NCRA as part of efforts to modernize civil registration and promote national data integration. This policy follows two years of consultation with various financial sector stakeholders and represents a major stride in the government’s digitization agenda, pushing for a more inclusive, secure, and efficient financial environment.
Commercial banks, microfinance institutions, mobile money providers, and other financial service providers are expected to adhere to this directive and assist their customers in meeting these new requirements. Citizens are urged to register promptly with the NCRA to obtain their NIN and ensure it is linked to their bank accounts before the specified deadlines.