Most affidavit problems happen before anyone takes an oath, not after. Here is what to check first, whichever portal or location you end up using.
1. Get the wording right before you go anywhere
An affidavit is only useful if it states the right facts, correctly. Read a drafted affidavit carefully, or have a lawyer check anything beyond a simple, common statement, before you swear it.
Fixing a sworn affidavit usually means swearing a new one, not editing the old one.
2. Confirm who is allowed to take this affidavit
Under the Oaths Act, a commissioner for oaths, a notary public, or a judge of the Federal High Court or a higher court can take an affidavit. Our full guide to who can take an affidavit covers this list in detail.
If you are using a portal, this step is usually built in, since the oath happens through the platform with someone qualified on the other end.
3. Gather the documents most portals now ask for
Expect to need your NIN, a recent passport photograph, a valid ID and your signature, or a close match to this list, on most modern e-affidavit portals. Requirements vary slightly by state, so check the specific portal before you start.
4. Decide which portal or route fits your situation
Lagos, the FCT, the Federal High Court and several states each run their own e-affidavit system, covered across this series. Pick the one that matches where you are and what your affidavit is for, rather than assuming they are interchangeable.
If you would rather use a paper route where one is still available to you, checking that a notary or commissioner is genuine matters just as much. You can check notary.gov.ng to confirm a notary's registration before you rely on them.
A portal will not make this choice for you. Weigh how comfortable you are online, how urgent the affidavit is, and whether the type you need is even supported on the portal for your state before deciding.
5. Keep the reference number once it is sworn
Once your affidavit is issued, save its reference number somewhere safe. Several portals, including Lagos's and the Federal High Court's, let anyone check an affidavit is genuine using this number.
Common mistakes
- Swearing an affidavit with a wording error. Read it fully before the oath, not after.
- Using the wrong state's portal. Each one is separate, with its own account and rules.
- Losing the reference number. Save it the moment your affidavit is issued, not later.
Our courts and affidavits hub links every portal and guide in this series, and where and how affidavits work is the wider starting point. A vetted partner firm can prepare and file an affidavit of loss once your checklist is complete.