Nigerians can now obtain affidavits from the Federal High Court without visiting a court premises, through the court’s Electronic Court Management System (ECMS) e-Affidavit Portal.
The fully digital platform allows applicants to register, complete application forms, upload required documents, make payments and download approved affidavits from anywhere with an internet connection.
The portal was introduced to provide a secure and efficient process for affidavit applications and related court services. It operates under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023.
The process reviewed on the Federal High Court’s e-Affidavit Portal shows that applicants can apply for various types of affidavits, including those relating to change of name, correction of date of birth, loss of documents, change of signature, next of kin, marriage, banking and other purposes.
Applicants can also track their applications and download completed affidavits after payment and approval.
Here is a step-by-step guide to using the portal:
- Create an account
Applicants must first register on the Federal High Court’s Electronic Court Management System portal at https://portal.fhc.gov.ng/.
During registration, users are required to provide their full name, phone number, date of birth, email address and a password.
Applicants should enter the name they want to appear on the affidavit.
After completing registration, log in to the portal and select the affidavit module.
2. Complete your profile
Before submitting a new affidavit application, applicants must complete their affidavit profile.
The portal requires information such as native town, residential address, occupation, National Identification Number (NIN), country of origin, state of origin, gender, religion and date of birth.
Applicants must also upload a passport photograph and a valid means of identification.
The Federal High Court advises users to ensure that all information provided is accurate before saving their profiles.
3. Select the type of affidavit
After completing the profile, applicants can choose from the available affidavit services.
The categories include:
- Name changes: Affidavit of Change of Name, Correction of Name and Harmonisation of Name(s).
- Date of birth: Statutory Declaration of Age, Declaration of Age for a Minor and Correction of Date of Birth.
- Loss and incidents: Loss of Items, Burglary, Theft, Robbery, Damage, Missing Person and other related affidavits.
- Identity and personal matters: Good Conduct, Next of Kin, Guardianship, Verification of Address and State of Origin.
- Marriage: Bachelorhood, Marriage Declaration, Spinsterhood and Non-impediment.
- Banking: Change of Bank Phone Number, Non-Indebtedness and Single Account Ownership.
- General purposes: Authorisation, Transfer of Ownership, Claim of Ownership, Sponsorship, Affidavit of Means and other applications.
- Institutional affidavits: Good Conduct and Non-Membership of Secret Cult/Terrorist/Militant Group, Hostel Accommodation and other institutional applications.
- The portal also provides options for affidavits relating to academic documents, political office candidacy and other institutional purposes.
4. Complete the application
After selecting an affidavit, applicants are taken to the relevant application form.
The information required depends on the type of affidavit selected and may include personal details, the purpose of the affidavit and other information specific to the application.
For example, an application for correction of date of birth requires the applicant to provide the reason for the correction, the incorrect date of birth and the correct date of birth.
Applicants are also required to provide their email address and phone number and select a preferred Federal High Court division.
The portal provides court options covering Federal High Court divisions in various states and the Federal Capital Territory.
5. Upload the required documents
Applicants must upload a recent passport photograph, a valid means of identification and their signature. The signature can either be uploaded or drawn on the portal.
Accepted identification documents include a National Identification Number, international passport, driver’s licence and voter’s card.
The portal specifies requirements for passport photographs, identification documents and signatures. In the application reviewed, each uploaded file was limited to 300KB.
6. Preview your application
After entering all the required information, applicants should use the preview option to review their application before submission.
The preview displays the information provided, including the applicant’s name, identification details, affidavit information, contact details and selected court.
Applicants should carefully check all details at this stage, as the portal states that payments are final, non-refundable and non-transferable.
7. Accept the terms and submit
After reviewing the application, applicants must agree to the portal’s terms and conditions and consent to the processing of their personal data in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
The application can then be submitted.
8. Pay the required fee
After submission, applicants are directed to make payment electronically.
The portal provides payment options including Paystack and Remita.
The application reviewed for this report displayed a fee of ₦1,797 for the selected affidavit. Applicants should confirm the amount displayed for their particular application before making payment, as fees may vary depending on the service and may change over time.
The portal states that payments are final, non-refundable and non-transferable.
9. Download the approved affidavit
After payment and processing, applicants can download their completed affidavits through the portal. A copy is also sent to the email address provided during the application.
The Federal High Court says affidavits issued through the portal are protected with unique barcodes and reference numbers that can be used for verification.
Applicants are warned that falsifying, altering or misusing an affidavit constitutes a criminal offence and may attract legal consequences.
Important things applicants should know
Applicants whose applications are queried for additional information or documents are required to respond within 72 hours, according to the portal.
Failure to make the required payment or respond to a query within the stipulated period may result in the automatic deletion of the application without a refund or further notice. Applicants would then have to start a new application and make a fresh payment.
The portal also collects personal information, including NIN, passport photographs, signatures and contact details, for affidavit applications, verification and other lawful purposes.
The Federal High Court’s e-Affidavit Portal is accessible through its Electronic Court Management System at https://portal.fhc.gov.ng/.
