diff --git a/app/api/v1/recipients/route.ts b/app/api/v1/recipients/route.ts
index 3e11eb19..50422005 100644
--- a/app/api/v1/recipients/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/v1/recipients/route.ts
@@ -152,6 +152,31 @@ export const POST = withRateLimit(async (request: NextRequest) => {
       );
     }
 
+    const trimmedInstitutionCode = String(institutionCode).trim();
+
+    // NUBAN is 10 digits; SAFAKEPC uses 6 digits - reject invalid length so we don't save 11-digit (e.g. phone) as beneficiary
+    const digits = String(accountIdentifier).replace(/\D/g, "");
+    const requiredLen = trimmedInstitutionCode === "SAFAKEPC" ? 6 : 10;
+    if (digits.length !== requiredLen) {
+      trackApiError(
+        request,
+        "/api/v1/recipients",
+        "POST",
+        new Error("Invalid account identifier length"),
+        400,
+      );
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        {
+          success: false,
+          error:
+            requiredLen === 10
+              ? "Please enter a valid 10-digit account number."
+              : "Please enter a valid 6-digit account number.",
+        },
+        { status: 400 },
+      );
+    }
+
     // Validate type
     if (!["bank", "mobile_money"].includes(type)) {
       trackApiError(
@@ -199,7 +224,7 @@ export const POST = withRateLimit(async (request: NextRequest) => {
       }
     }
 
-    // Insert recipient (upsert on unique constraint)
+    // Insert recipient (upsert on unique constraint) - store sanitized digits so DB has consistent format
     const { data, error } = await supabaseAdmin
       .from("saved_recipients")
       .upsert(
@@ -208,8 +233,8 @@ export const POST = withRateLimit(async (request: NextRequest) => {
           normalized_wallet_address: walletAddress,
           name: name.trim(),
           institution: institution.trim(),
-          institution_code: institutionCode.trim(),
-          account_identifier: accountIdentifier.trim(),
+          institution_code: trimmedInstitutionCode,
+          account_identifier: digits,
           type,
         },
         {
@@ -244,14 +269,14 @@ export const POST = withRateLimit(async (request: NextRequest) => {
     const responseTime = Date.now() - startTime;
     trackApiResponse("/api/v1/recipients", "POST", 200, responseTime, {
       wallet_address: walletAddress,
-      institution_code: institutionCode,
+      institution_code: trimmedInstitutionCode,
       type,
     });
 
     // Track business event
     trackBusinessEvent("Recipient Saved", {
       wallet_address: walletAddress,
-      institution_code: institutionCode,
+      institution_code: trimmedInstitutionCode,
       type,
     });
 
diff --git a/app/components/recipient/RecipientDetailsForm.tsx b/app/components/recipient/RecipientDetailsForm.tsx
index 3ac117d7..f02f411f 100644
--- a/app/components/recipient/RecipientDetailsForm.tsx
+++ b/app/components/recipient/RecipientDetailsForm.tsx
@@ -243,20 +243,29 @@ export const RecipientDetailsForm = ({
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [selectedInstitution, isManualEntry]);
 
-  // Fetch recipient name based on institution and account identifier
+  // Fetch recipient name based on institution and account identifier (only when exactly 10-digit NUBAN or 6-digit SAFAKEPC)
   useEffect(() => {
     let timeoutId: NodeJS.Timeout;
     const getRecipientName = async () => {
       if (!isManualEntry) return;
 
-      if (
-        !institution ||
-        !accountIdentifier ||
-        accountIdentifier.toString().length <
-          (selectedInstitution?.code === "SAFAKEPC" ? 6 : 10)
-      )
+      const digits = String(accountIdentifier ?? "").replace(/\D/g, "");
+      const requiredLen = selectedInstitution?.code === "SAFAKEPC" ? 6 : 10;
+
+      if (!institution || !accountIdentifier || digits.length !== requiredLen) {
+        if (accountIdentifier && digits.length > 0 && digits.length !== requiredLen) {
+          setRecipientNameError(
+            requiredLen === 10
+              ? "Please enter a valid 10-digit account Number."
+              : "Invalid account number. Please enter a 6-digit account number.",
+          );
+        } else {
+          setRecipientNameError("");
+        }
         return;
+      }
 
+      setRecipientNameError("");
       setIsFetchingRecipientName(true);
       setValue("recipientName", "");
 
@@ -380,19 +389,27 @@ export const RecipientDetailsForm = ({
             </button>
           </div>
 
-          {/* Account number */}
+          {/* Account number - NUBAN is 10 digits; SAFAKEPC uses 6 digits */}
           <div className="w-full flex-1 flex-shrink-0 sm:w-1/2">
             <input
-              type="number"
+              type="text"
+              inputMode="numeric"
               placeholder="Account number"
+              maxLength={selectedInstitution?.code === "SAFAKEPC" ? 6 : 10}
               {...register("accountIdentifier", {
                 required: {
                   value: true,
                   message: "Account number is required",
                 },
-                minLength: {
-                  value: selectedInstitution?.code === "SAFAKEPC" ? 6 : 10,
-                  message: "Account number is invalid",
+                validate: (value) => {
+                  const digits = String(value ?? "").replace(/\D/g, "");
+                  const requiredLen = selectedInstitution?.code === "SAFAKEPC" ? 6 : 10;
+                  if (digits.length !== requiredLen) {
+                    return requiredLen === 10
+                      ? "Please enter a valid 10-digit account Number."
+                      : "Invalid account number. Please enter a 6-digit account number.";
+                  }
+                  return true;
                 },
                 onChange: () => setIsManualEntry(true),
               })}