CHN Registration: How to Get a Clearing House Number
The CHN is the number that identifies you as an investor in the CSCS. This guide covers who issues it, how to get one, where to find an existing CHN and how to fix duplicates and name mismatches.
A Clearing House Number (CHN) is issued by the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) when a stockbroker registers you as an investor. There is no separate CHN application for the public: you open an account with a stockbroker, or a platform working with one, and the CHN is produced as part of that registration. If you have invested in Nigerian shares before, you probably already have one, and the task is finding it rather than applying again.
Ready to start investing in Nigerian stocks? Shares Saver registers your shares directly in your own name through SEC-regulated brokers.
What the CHN Is and What It Is Not
The CHN identifies a person, or a company, as an investor in the CSCS. Every holding recorded for you in the depository hangs from it, whichever broker bought the shares.
- It is not a bank account number or a BVN, although your BVN is used to verify you when the CHN is created.
- It is not a login. Knowing a CHN does not by itself give anyone access to sell shares, because sales go through a broker acting on a verified instruction.
- It is not the same as the CSCS account number, which is tied to a particular broker and sits under the CHN.
- It is not a registrar account number, which belongs to one company's register.
- It does not expire when you stop trading or when a broker closes.
Who Issues It and How You Get One
The CSCS issues the CHN. The stockbroker requests it. Your part is to complete the broker's onboarding with accurate details and the documents it asks for; the documents and the registration steps are covered in the guide to CSCS registration requirements on this site.
Two points are specific to the CHN itself. First, the number is created once per investor, so a second broker should be given your existing CHN rather than asked to create another. Second, the CHN is generated from the identity details on the form, so the way your name is written on that day follows you into every company register you later join.
How to Find a CHN You Already Have
Ready to start investing in Nigerian stocks? Shares Saver registers your shares directly in your own name through SEC-regulated brokers.
Work through these sources in order. Most people find the number at the first or second.
- Your broker or platform. The CHN is usually shown on your profile or account details page. If it is not, customer support can confirm it after verifying you.
- A contract note. The confirmation a broker sends after each trade commonly carries your CHN or CSCS account number alongside the trade details.
- A CSCS statement. The statement of stock position shows the CHN in its header, followed by each broker account under it.
- X-Alert messages. If you subscribed to the CSCS trade alert, the SMS or email sent after a transaction refers to the account it relates to. Search your inbox and phone for messages from the CSCS.
- Old paperwork. Account-opening letters, welcome emails from a broker and correspondence about a public offer you applied for may quote the number.
- The CSCS itself. If the broker that opened your account no longer exists, the CSCS can be contacted through its published investor channels, and another broker can help you make the enquiry.
Be careful with anyone who contacts you offering to "retrieve" a CHN for a fee paid to a personal account. Use your own broker, a registered stockbroker you have checked on the SEC's list of operators, or the CSCS through its published channels.
What to Do If You Have Two CHNs
Duplicate CHNs usually come from opening accounts with different brokers years apart without mentioning the first one, or from applying for shares in a public offer under a slightly different version of your name. The result is two investor records, each holding part of what you own.
The fix is a merger of the records, requested through a stockbroker. You choose the CHN you want to keep, and the broker submits a request to the CSCS, supported by your identity documents and evidence that both records belong to the same person. Where the names differ between the two records, expect to be asked for something that explains the difference, such as a marriage certificate, a sworn affidavit or a published change of name. The holdings under the other CHN are then brought under the one that remains.
Until that is done, nothing is lost. The shares under each CHN remain yours. The inconvenience is practical: two statements, dividends that may be mandated differently, and a harder trail for your family to follow later.
CHN and Name or BVN Mismatches
A mismatch means the details on the CSCS record do not agree with your current identity records. It tends to surface at an awkward moment: when a broker refuses to link an old CHN to a new account, when a dividend payment is rejected, or when a transfer is queried.
- Name order or spelling: the CSCS record has the surname and first name reversed, or one letter differs from the BVN record.
- A missing middle name on one record and not the other.
- A change of name after marriage that was never passed on to the broker.
- A date of birth keyed incorrectly when the account was opened.
- An old phone number or email address, which means alerts and one-time codes go nowhere.
Corrections are made through a broker using the CSCS account-modification process. You complete the form, attach your current ID and the supporting document for the change, and the broker submits it. If you hold shares in companies with a separate registrar record from before dematerialisation, the registrar may need the same update, because the two records are maintained separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply to the CSCS for a CHN without a broker?
The CHN comes out of an account opening submitted by a stockbroker, so a broker relationship is the starting point. After that, the CSCS provides investor-facing services such as its portal and alerts, which are linked to the CHN you were given.
Does my CHN change when I change broker?
It stays the same. What changes is the CSCS account number, because each broker has its own account under your CHN. Give the new broker your CHN at the start so that the new account is attached to it.
Is it safe to share my CHN?
Brokers, registrars and the CSCS will ask for it, and giving it to them is normal. Avoid posting it publicly or sending it with copies of your ID to anyone you have not verified, because the combination of identifiers and documents is what fraudsters look for.
I bought shares in a public offer years ago. Do I have a CHN?
Possibly not. Older offers issued paper certificates, and those holdings sit on the registrar's record until they are dematerialised into a CSCS account. In that case you obtain a CHN by opening a broker account, and the broker then lodges the certificate for you.
Can a child or a company have a CHN?
Both can. A child's account is opened by a parent or guardian with the documents the broker specifies, and a company's account is opened with its incorporation and authorisation documents. Each receives its own CHN, separate from the personal CHN of the parent or director.
What if my broker says no CHN exists for me but I know I own shares?
The holding may be under a different spelling of your name, under a CHN opened by a different broker, or still in certificate form with a registrar. A search across brokers and registrars by name, date of birth and address history is the usual way to settle the question.
Important disclaimer. This article is for general information and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, or any recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. The value of investments can fall as well as rise. You should seek independent regulated financial advice before making any investment decision. Shares Saver does not provide financial advice.
Own shares in your name
Start from ₦10,000 a month. Pause whenever you like.