Two Federal High Court systems in Lagos are easy to mix up: e-filing of court processes, and the separate e-Affidavit portal. Only one of them has the date most people are searching for.
The date e-filing became mandatory
E-filing became mandatory for the Federal High Court's Lagos Division from 27 Apr 2026. Electronic payment of filing fees was built into the same change, replacing a manual, paper-based process for court documents.
What e-filing actually covers
E-filing is for court processes. These are the documents lawyers and litigants file as part of a case. The launch was aimed at legal practice, not at the public applying for a personal affidavit.
Why hard copies have not disappeared
The Chief Judge said hard copies are still needed for first service. That is true even after e-filing became mandatory. Going electronic did not mean going paperless everywhere, at least not straight away.
If you are a litigant relying on a lawyer, this detail matters more to your lawyer's own filing workflow than to you directly. Ask them how it affects your specific case, if at all.
How this differs from the e-Affidavit portal
This e-filing launch is separate from portal.fhc.gov.ng, the court's public-facing system for affidavits such as change of name or loss of documents. Our explainer on that portal covers it in full.
The two systems share a court, and both point toward the same general direction: going digital. But they serve different users. E-filing serves legal practice, while the e-Affidavit portal serves the public directly.
Knowing which one you actually need saves time. A litigant asks their lawyer about e-filing; someone who just needs a personal affidavit goes straight to the portal instead.
What a lawyer or litigant should check now
If you are actively filing in the Lagos Division, confirm with your lawyer or the court registrar exactly which documents still need a hard copy for first service, since that detail can matter for a filing deadline.
If you simply need a personal affidavit and are not part of ongoing litigation, the e-Affidavit portal, not this e-filing system, is almost certainly the one you want. Most readers of this article fall into that second group.
Common mistakes
- Confusing e-filing with the e-Affidavit portal. They are two different systems built for two different audiences.
- Assuming everything is now paperless. Hard copies are still needed for first service.
- Applying e-filing rules to a personal affidavit. Use the e-Affidavit portal instead for that.
Our courts and affidavits hub links the rest of this series, and where and how affidavits work covers the affidavit side specifically. A vetted partner firm can prepare and file an affidavit of loss if that, rather than e-filing, is what you actually need.