HOW TO OBTAIN FEDERAL HIGH COURT AFFIDAVIT ONLINE WITHOUT VISITING COURT

By ‘Sefiu Ajape

Nigerians can now obtain affidavits from the Federal High Court without visiting court premises through the court’s Electronic Court Management System e-Affidavit Portal.

The fully digital platform allows applicants to register, complete application forms, upload documents, make payments, and download verified 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 and operates under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

Information obtained from the Federal High Court’s e-Affidavit Portal on Sunday showed 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.

How to apply

1. Create an account

Applicants are required to 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.

The name entered should be the name the applicant wants to appear on the affidavit.

After registration, applicants should log in and select the affidavit module.

2. Complete your profile

Before starting a new affidavit application, applicants must complete their affidavit profile.

The portal requests information such as the applicant’s native town, residential address, occupation, NIN, country of origin, state of origin, gender, religion, and date of birth.

Applicants must also upload a passport photograph and an identity card.

The Federal High Court advises applicants to ensure that all information supplied is accurate before saving their profiles.

3. Select the type of affidavit

After completing the profile, applicants can access the available affidavit services.

The portal offers several categories, including:

1. Name change: Affidavit of Change of Name, Correction of Name, and Harmonisation of Name(s).
2. Date of birth: Statutory Declaration of Age, Declaration of Age for a Minor and Correction of Date of Birth.
3. Loss and incidents: Loss of Items, Burglary, Theft, Robbery, Damage, Missing Person and other related affidavits.
4. Identity and personal matters: Good Conduct, Next of Kin, Guardianship, Verification of Address and State of Origin.
5. Marriage: Bachelorhood, Marriage Declaration, Spinsterhood and Non-impediment.
6. Banking: Change of Bank Phone Number, Non-Indebtedness, and Single Account Ownership.
7. General purpose: Authorisation, Transfer of Ownership, Claim of Ownership, Sponsorship, Affidavit of Means, and others.
8. Institutional affidavits: Good Conduct and Non-Membership of Secret Cult/Terrorist/Militant Group, Hostel Accommodation, and other applications.
9. Other purposes: The portal also provides affidavit options relating to academic documents, political office candidacy and other institutional purposes.

4. Fill out the application

After selecting an affidavit, the applicant is taken to the relevant application form.

Depending on the type of affidavit selected, the form may require personal details, the purpose of the affidavit, and other information specific to the application.

For instance, 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 available options include Federal High Court divisions across different states and Abuja.

5. Upload required documents

Applicants are required to provide a recent passport photograph, a valid means of identification, and a signature, which can either be uploaded or drawn on the portal.

Accepted identification documents include a National Identification Number, international passport, driver’s license, or voter’s card.

The portal states that uploaded passport photographs, identification cards, and signatures must meet its specifications. Each file was limited to 300KB in the application form reviewed for this report.

6. Preview the application

After providing the required information, applicants should use the preview option to review their applications.

The preview displays details including the applicant’s name, identification information, affidavit details, contact information, and selected court.

Applicants should carefully verify the information before submitting the application, 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

The portal directs applicants to make payment electronically after submitting their applications.

Payment options include Paystack and Remita.

The application reviewed for this report displayed a fee of N1,797 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 warns that payments are final, non-refundable, and non-transferable.

9. Download the affidavit

After payment and processing, the completed affidavit can be downloaded from the portal. A copy is also sent to the applicant’s email address.

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 offense and may attract legal consequences.

Important things applicants should know

The portal states that applicants whose applications are queried for additional information or documents must respond within 72 hours.

Failure to make the required payment or respond to a query within the stipulated period may result in 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 states that applicants’ personal information, including NIN, passport photographs, signatures, and contact details, is collected for affidavit applications, verification and other lawful purposes.

The Federal High Court’s e-Affidavit Portal is accessible through its Electronic Court Management System.