The Federal High Court runs its own e-affidavit system, separate from any state's. Here is what it was built to do, and where its limits sit.
What the portal is
The Federal High Court's e-affidavit portal is portal.fhc.gov.ng. The link sits in the main menu of the court's own website, and the system itself runs on the court's Electronic Court Management System (ECMS).
It was already working by September 2024, when the Lagos Division demonstrated it. The court's own launch post is dated 1 April 2025, so treat September 2024 as when it went live in practice, and April 2025 as when the court formally announced it.
What it was built for
The portal was built for affidavits not linked to a court case, such as loss of items, age declaration and change of name. That is a deliberately narrow scope: personal and administrative affidavits, not affidavits that already sit inside a court case.
Our list of the specific affidavit types it covers goes through the detail. Change of name, age declaration and correction of a date of birth are among the most searched examples.
What it deliberately leaves out
Affidavits filed to support an active case before the Federal High Court are handled the traditional way, not through this portal. Court officials have been clear that the two tracks are kept separate.
If you are already in litigation and someone asks for a supporting affidavit, ask your lawyer or the court registrar handling the case which route applies, rather than assuming the online portal covers it.
Why the scope is drawn this way
A personal affidavit, such as a change of name, usually stands alone. A litigation affidavit is one document inside a bigger case file, cross-referenced with pleadings, exhibits and hearing dates.
Building one portal for both would mean either overloading a simple form with case-management features, or stripping down a case system until it no longer serves lawyers well. Keeping them separate lets each one do its own job properly.
Where it sits in the wider court system
Other state courts have adopted the same Electronic Court Management System for their own e-affidavit portals. Our look at Delta and Plateau's portals covers two examples running the same underlying software.
The Federal High Court's e-affidavit portal is also distinct from the court's general e-filing system for case documents, which serves lawyers and litigants rather than affidavit applicants.
Common mistakes
- Trying to file a litigation affidavit here. It will not fit the portal's scope; check with your court registrar instead.
- Confusing this with the general e-filing system. They serve different purposes within the same court.
- Assuming every affidavit type is covered. Check the specific list before you register.
Our courts and affidavits hub links the rest of this series, and where and how affidavits work covers the process outside the Federal High Court too. A vetted partner firm can prepare and file an affidavit of loss once you know which portal applies.