A Federal High Court e-affidavit is built to be checked, not just trusted on sight. Here is how the portal's own verification feature works.
Where verification happens
The Federal High Court's E-Verification feature sits on portal.fhc.gov.ng, using the affidavit's reference number. Anyone with the affidavit's reference number, not just the person who swore it, can run this check.
What you need
The reference number is the only input the check needs. It sits on the affidavit itself, usually near a barcode printed on the document.
Type it exactly as it appears. As with other court verification systems, a single mistyped character is enough to return no match.
What the barcode is actually for
Every affidavit issued through the portal carries a unique barcode alongside its reference number. Together, they tie the physical or downloaded document to the exact record the court holds.
This is not just decoration. The portal's own terms describe falsifying or misusing an affidavit's barcode or reference number as a criminal offence, not a minor paperwork issue.
Getting your copy in the first place
Once an application is approved, you can download the affidavit directly from the portal. A copy is also sent by email, so you have a second way to retrieve it if you misplace the download.
Keep both the downloaded file and a note of the reference number somewhere safe. You are likely to need the number again for verification, even after you have the physical document in hand.
A photo of the printed page on your phone is a reasonable backup, as long as the reference number and barcode are clearly readable in the image.
This small habit matters more than it seems. A bank, an employer or an embassy may ask for the check months after your affidavit was issued, long after the original email has scrolled out of view.
Why altering an affidavit is not a shortcut
Some people are tempted to edit a detail on an already-issued affidavit rather than start again. Given the criminal offence attached to misusing an affidavit's identifying features, this is a serious risk, not a convenient fix.
If a detail on your affidavit is wrong, the safer route is a fresh application through the Federal High Court e-affidavit portal, not an edit to the one you already have.
Common mistakes
- Mistyping the reference number. Copy it directly from the document rather than from memory.
- Losing both the download and the email copy. Save at least one somewhere you will find it again.
- Editing an approved affidavit yourself. Start a new application instead.
Our courts and affidavits hub links the rest of this series, and where and how affidavits work covers verification and process across other states too. A vetted partner firm can prepare and file an affidavit of loss if you need a fresh one issued.