Moving home means checking a few records that may still show your life abroad. These are the four worth checking in your first weeks.
1. Your NIN
If you never enrolled, do it now. NIMC's diaspora guidance says Nigerians abroad can enrol free when they are in Nigeria, provided they have a valid passport. If you enrolled through a licensed partner abroad, you already have a NIN.
If your details changed, a modification is the route. NIMC charges ₦2,000 per request for fields other than date of birth. NIMC directs data changes to its self-service portal, and NIN modification needs no office visit unless you change your photo.
Updating your phone or email on your NIN covers the common ones. The NIN modification guide covers the rest.
2. Your driving licence
Check the expiry date on the card. FRSC's renewal window opens from 30 days before the expiry date, and biometric capture happens in person. If the date is close, make this a first-month job.
The fee is ₦15,000 for three years or ₦21,000 for five, and each class is charged separately. A lost card is a re-issue, not a renewal. Replacing a lost driver's licence covers it. Renewing a licence from abroad explains why the visit is in person.
3. Your passport
You do not have to renew because you are home. NIS renews passports whether they have expired or are still valid.
When you do renew, the home fees apply to applications made in Nigeria: ₦100,000 for five years or ₦200,000 for ten. You will need one visit for your photo and fingerprints. The passport renewal guide has the steps.
4. Company records, if you are a director
Moving back changes your residential address. CAC's notice for a change in the register of directors or residential addresses is due within 14 days of the change.
If the company's registered office moves too, that is a separate duty, also due within 14 days of the change. A PO box is not accepted, and showing the new address in your annual return does not satisfy it. Why CAC rejects a change of directors filing explains the rule that ties it to up-to-date annual returns.
A sensible order for your first month
- If you are a director, tell CAC your new address first. It has a deadline.
- Update your NIN details on the self-service portal.
- Plan the driving licence visit if the card is close to expiry.
- Renew the passport when it suits you.
You do not need all four at once. Start with the one that has a deadline attached.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for the driving licence to expire before you check it.
- Leaving a foreign phone number and address on your NIN.
- Forgetting the notice to CAC after you move house.
- Renewing the passport in a rush when nothing forces you to.
If you are still planning the move, documents to renew before moving abroad covers the other direction. The diaspora and life events hub has the wider series.