You can get a Federal High Court affidavit without visiting any court at portal.fhc.gov.ng, the court’s e-Affidavit portal. Punch’s test application in September 2026 showed a fee of ₦1,797; the amount depends on the affidavit type and shows before you pay. The court publishes no turnaround time, so apply a few working days before you need it.
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Where | portal.fhc.gov.ng → E-Affidavit (no court visit) |
| Fee | ₦1,797 for the type Punch tested; varies by type |
| Payment | Paystack or Remita, online only |
| You need | NIN, passport photo, ID card, signature, email, phone |
| Delivery | Download from your dashboard after approval, plus an emailed copy |
| Refunds | None, for any reason |
What you need before you start
- Your NIN (National Identification Number). The form validates it.
- A passport photograph in a formal, corporate style.
- A valid ID: NIN slip, international passport, driver’s licence or voter’s card.
- Your signature on plain white paper, photographed clearly. You can also draw it on screen.
- Each upload as JPG, PNG or GIF, 300 kB or smaller.
- A working email and phone number. Queries and the finished affidavit come by email.
How to apply on portal.fhc.gov.ng
- Open portal.fhc.gov.ng and click Register. Enter your full name, phone number, date of birth, email and a password.
- Type your name exactly as it should appear on the affidavit. That account name is printed on the document.
- Log in and open the E-Affidavit module.
- Complete your profile: NIN, native town, residential address, country of origin, state of origin, occupation, gender, religion, and whether you are an adult or a minor.
- Upload your passport photograph, ID card and signature.
- Choose the affidavit type from the list (see the table below).
- Fill the affidavit title and clauses. Add or remove clause lines so each fact sits in its own line. A date-of-birth correction, for example, asks for the reason, the wrong date and the correct date.
- Enter your email and phone, then pick your preferred Federal High Court division.
- Click Preview and read every line. Spelling mistakes here cost you a fresh fee later.
- Tick the terms and the data-processing consent (Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023), then submit.
- Pay with Paystack or Remita. Save the payment reference.
- Wait for approval, answer any query, then download the affidavit. A copy also goes to your email.
Why the profile asks for occupation and address: the Evidence Act 2011, section 117, requires an affidavit to state the deponent’s full name, trade or profession, residence and nationality, written in the first person in numbered paragraphs.
Affidavit types on the portal
The full menu sits behind login. These are the groups Punch recorded on the portal in September 2026.
| Group | Affidavit types | Usually asked for by |
|---|---|---|
| Name change | Change of Name, Correction of Name, Harmonisation of Names | Banks, schools, exam bodies, employers |
| Date of birth | Statutory Declaration of Age, Declaration of Age for a Minor, Correction of Date of Birth | NPC birth attestation for adults, schools, record corrections |
| Loss and incidents | Loss of Items, Burglary, Theft, Robbery, Damage, Missing Person | Whoever reissues a lost document, insurers |
| Identity and personal | Good Conduct, Next of Kin, Guardianship, Verification of Address, State of Origin | Employers, schools, banks, local government |
| Marriage | Bachelorhood, Marriage Declaration, Spinsterhood, Non-impediment | Marriage registries, embassies |
| Banking | Change of Bank Phone Number, Non-Indebtedness, Single Account Ownership | Your bank |
| General purpose | Authorisation, Transfer of Ownership, Claim of Ownership, Sponsorship, Affidavit of Means | Agencies, sponsors, visa applications |
| Institutional | Good Conduct and Non-Membership of Secret Cult/Terrorist/Militant Group, Hostel Accommodation, academic documents, political office candidacy | Universities, polytechnics, parties |
Lost your NYSC certificate? NYSC asks for a police report plus a court affidavit of loss. See our NYSC certificate guide for the full list.
Adults registering their own birth on the NPC portal need a court sworn affidavit. That process is in how to get an NPC birth certificate online.
Court affidavit vs “roadside” affidavit
An affidavit is valid when it is sworn before someone the law allows to take it. The Oaths Act, section 10, names Federal High Court judges, notaries public and commissioners for oaths. The Evidence Act 2011, section 109, accepts any affidavit sworn before such a person.
So the paper affidavit from a State High Court registry, sworn before a commissioner for oaths, is still valid. When the court launched e-affidavits in June 2024, it said they do not replace traditional sworn affidavits.
The problem is the “roadside” version. A typist outside the court types it, someone stamps it, and you never stand before a commissioner. That is the fraud risk: no court holds any record that you swore anything. The e-affidavit’s edge is a unique barcode and reference number that anyone can check online, and you never meet a tout.
How to verify an affidavit (E-Verification)
- Go to portal.fhc.gov.ng and click E-Verification (Verify Affidavit).
- Enter the reference number printed on the affidavit, or use its barcode.
- Check that the name, type and details shown match the paper in front of you.
If an affidavit does not verify, do not use it; falsifying or altering an affidavit is a criminal offence.
Police Extract is a separate site
The portal’s Police Extract link sends you to POSSAP (possap.ogtlprojects.com), the Nigeria Police Force’s service portal. It is not part of the court. Many loss cases need both: a police extract for the incident and a court affidavit of loss. Apply for each on its own site.
Can’t do it yourself? Use an accredited agent
The court lists accredited agents on its partners portal, partner.fhc.gov.ng. If you need help, pick one from there and agree the service charge before handing over your NIN and photos. Anyone else offering a “fast court affidavit” is a stranger holding your identity.
What can go wrong
- 72-hour query window. If the court queries your application and you do not respond in 72 hours, it is deleted with no refund. Check your email and the dashboard daily until it is approved.
- Drafts vanish. An unsubmitted draft is stored for 72 hours, then deleted.
- No refunds. Payments are final, non-refundable and non-transferable, including wrong or duplicate applications.
- Upload rejected. Each file must be 300 kB or less. Compress the photo or crop the ID before uploading.
- NIN will not validate. Recheck all 11 digits. Do not open a second account to get around it; fix the NIN issue first.
- Wrong name on the affidavit. The account name is used. If you registered with a nickname, correct the profile before you pay.
- Debited but payment failed. Screenshot the Paystack reference or Remita RRR. Send it to info@fhc.gov.ng or the live chat on the portal, and ask your bank to trace the debit with the same reference. Do not pay twice.
- Portal down. Try again outside office hours. If you are out of time, swear the affidavit in person at a State or Federal High Court registry before a commissioner for oaths.
An affidavit alone no longer changes your name on official records
In PDP v Degi-Eremienyo (2021), the Supreme Court held that an affidavit and a newspaper publication are not enough to alter a name on official records. The lawful route it described is a Deed Poll, approval by the body that issued the record, and publication in the Official Gazette. Many banks and agencies still accept an affidavit of change of name, so it is not useless. For NPC, passport and other long-term records, read how to change your name in Nigeria before you pay for anything.
FAQ
How much is a Federal High Court affidavit online?
Punch’s test application in September 2026 showed ₦1,797; the court publishes no fee list, and the exact amount for your affidavit type shows before you pay.
Is the online affidavit accepted like the one from the court registry?
Yes, it is issued by the Federal High Court under its own practice directions and carries a barcode and reference number, which makes it easier to verify than a paper copy.
How long does approval take?
The court does not publish a turnaround time; download is possible only after approval, so apply a few working days early and answer any query within 72 hours.
Can I get an affidavit of good conduct online?
Yes, Good Conduct is listed under identity and personal affidavits, and a combined Good Conduct and Non-Membership of Secret Cult affidavit is listed for schools.
Can someone else apply for me?
The affidavit must carry your own NIN, photo and signature, so either do it yourself or use an accredited agent from partner.fhc.gov.ng.
Verified: Checked on 4 November 2026 against portal.fhc.gov.ng, its Terms and Conditions (last updated 13 May 2025), the Evidence Act 2011 and the Oaths Act.
Sources
- Federal High Court, ECMS e-Affidavit portal (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Federal High Court, e-Affidavit Terms and Conditions (13 May 2025)
- Punch, Saheed Oyelakin, How to get Federal High Court affidavit online without visiting court (20 Sep 2026)
- The Whistler, Micheal Ezeh, Federal High Court Introduces E-Affidavit (11 Jun 2024)
- Vanguard, Why newspaper publications, affidavits may no longer legalise name changes in Nigeria (2 Aug 2026)
- Evidence Act 2011, sections 107–120 (PLAC copy)
- Oaths Act, Cap O1 LFN 2004, sections 10 and 13 (PLAC copy)
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