Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria)
AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY
Evidence Act 2011 | Oaths Act Cap O1 LFN 2004 | Criminal Code Act Cap C38 LFN 2004
[Court Or Office]
I, [Deponent Name], aged [Deponent Age] years, [Deponent Occupation], of [Deponent Address], NIN: [Deponent NIN], do hereby make oath and state as follows:
DEPOSITIONS
1. That I am the deponent named above and I make this affidavit voluntarily and from my own personal knowledge.
2. That the name [Name Variant 1] as it appears on [Document 1 Description] and the name [Name Variant 2] as it appears on [Document 2 Description] refer to one and the same person — myself.
3. Additional identity variant (where applicable): [Additional Variant].
4. That the reason for the discrepancy in my name across these documents is: [Reason For Discrepancy].
5. That I have not at any time used any variant of my name for any fraudulent purpose and that all name variants stated above refer exclusively to myself.
6. That I make this affidavit for the purpose of: [Purpose Of Affidavit].
I make this affidavit in good faith and in accordance with the Oaths Act Cap O1 LFN 2004. I understand that making a false affidavit is perjury under the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 LFN 2004.
Deponent's Signature: ___________________________ Date: [Deposition Date]
[Deponent Name]
[Swearing Method] before me this [Deposition Date] at [Court Or Office].
Commissioner for Oaths / Notary Public: ___________________________
Name: ___________________________ Stamp: ___________________________
Deponent
________________
Signature
Commissioner for Oaths / Notary Public
________________
Signature
What Is a Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria)?
An Affidavit of Identity in Nigeria records a sworn statement of fact that the deponent affirms to be true before an authorised official.
The legal basis for the Affidavit of Identity is the Oaths Act Cap O1 LFN 2004 and the Evidence Act 2011. The deponent swears before an authorised officer, typically a Commissioner for Oaths (a Legal Practitioner appointed by the Chief Judge of the relevant state), that the identity assertion contained in the affidavit is true to the best of their knowledge and belief. False identity assertions attract criminal liability for perjury under the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 LFN 2004 (southern states) or the Penal Code (northern states).
Identity discrepancies are endemic in Nigeria's administrative records. The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), established under the NIMC Act 2007 (No. 23), maintains the National Identity Database (NIDB) and issues the National Identification Number (NIN). The Bank Verification Number (BVN) system, managed by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) under CBN oversight, links each banking customer's biometric data to their financial accounts. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintains voter registration records. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) maintains passport records. The National Population Commission (NPC) maintains birth and death registration records. Each of these systems has accumulated records independently, and name transcription errors, variations between formal name and everyday usage, changes in name order, and data entry errors have created pervasive discrepancies across millions of Nigerians' official records.
The Central Bank of Nigeria's Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Regulations require all banks and financial institutions to verify customer identity and to resolve record discrepancies. This regulatory obligation is the most frequent trigger for Affidavits of Identity in Nigerian commercial practice, with hundreds of thousands of identity affidavits processed by Nigerian commercial banks annually.
The legal framework governing the Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria) in Nigeria draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under Nigerian law, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) regulates corporate entities through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The Labour Act (Cap L1 LFN 2004) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) govern employment disputes. The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) protect personal data. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) administers tax obligations under the Companies Income Tax Act. The Federal High Court and state High Courts have jurisdiction over civil matters. Parties executing a Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria) in Nigeria should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Contract Law (received English common law) sets the foundational requirements.
When Do You Need a Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria)?
A Nigeria Affidavit of Identity is needed whenever a person's identity across two or more official documents, accounts, or records needs to be formally confirmed as referring to a single individual.
When a Nigerian bank customer's account name is "Emeka Nwosu" but their BVN record (managed by NIBSS under CBN oversight) shows "Chukwuemeka Nwosu", the bank's compliance team requires an Affidavit of Identity confirming that both names refer to the same individual, to comply with the CBN's Customer Due Diligence Regulations.
When a person's NIN card from NIMC shows their name as "Fatima Abdullahi Bello" but their employer's IPPIS (Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System) record shows "Fatimah A. Bello", an Affidavit of Identity is required by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to confirm the identity for salary payment reconciliation.
When a university graduate discovers that the name on their WAEC certificate differs from their university transcript by a single letter or middle name transposition, and they need to submit both documents to a foreign university or employer who requires consistent naming, an Affidavit of Identity bridges the gap while formal certificate corrections are pursued.
When a deceased person's assets are being administered in probate proceedings before the High Court Probate Registry, and the deceased is identified differently in their will, their NIN record, their bank accounts, and their land title registered with the state Land Registry, an Affidavit of Identity (sworn by the executor or next-of-kin) confirms the identity of the deceased across all records.
When a Nigerian citizen applies for an international passport and their supporting documents contain name variations across their birth certificate, primary school leaving certificate, and NIN card, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) may require an Affidavit of Identity before issuing the passport.
Parties in Nigeria should prepare a Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under Nigerian law, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) regulates corporate entities through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The Labour Act (Cap L1 LFN 2004) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) govern employment disputes. The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) protect personal data. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) administers tax obligations under the Companies Income Tax Act. The Federal High Court and state High Courts have jurisdiction over civil matters. Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.
What to Include in Your Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria)
A Nigeria Affidavit of Identity must contain the following essential elements to be effective across all applicable Nigerian institutions.
Deponent's primary identity: The deponent's full current legal name as it appears on their most authoritative identity document (typically the NIN card or international passport), date of birth, residential address, occupation, and NIN number. This is the "correct" identity that all other records should reconcile to.
List of alternative names or records: A thorough list of all the different name variants, spellings, initials, or name combinations that appear in the deponent's other documents — for example, different orderings of first, middle, and last names; abbreviated or shortened versions; spelling variations; names with or without hyphenation; and names recorded with or without a middle name.
Document references: For each alternative name variant, a reference to the specific document(s) in which that variant appears — for example, "as recorded in WAEC Certificate No. [xxxx]", "as recorded in my First Bank account No. [xxxx]", "as recorded in my voter card issued by INEC in [year]".
Declaration of singular identity: A clear, unambiguous statement that the person identified by all the listed name variants is one and the same individual — the deponent — and that all acts, documents, accounts, and records referencing those name variants are the acts, documents, accounts, and records of the same person.
Purpose statement: The specific purpose or institution(s) for which the affidavit is being made — for example, "for submission to [bank name] for KYC update", "for submission to NIMC for NIN record correction", "for submission to [university name] for academic record reconciliation".
Declaration of truth: A statement that the deponent swears the contents are true, that the deponent has not made any fraudulent or inconsistent identity claims, and that the deponent understands the criminal liability for perjury under the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 LFN 2004.
Exhibits: Each document containing the alternative name should be exhibited to the affidavit (as Exhibit A, B, C etc.) and identified in the body of the affidavit. The Commissioner for Oaths stamps each exhibit.
Jurat: Date, location, Commissioner for Oaths' name, designation, signature, and official stamp. The deponent's signature in the jurat confirms execution before the authorised officer.
Additional compliance elements for a Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria) used in Nigeria include: Under Nigerian law, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) regulates corporate entities through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The Labour Act (Cap L1 LFN 2004) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) govern employment disputes. The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) protect personal data. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) administers tax obligations under the Companies Income Tax Act. The Federal High Court and state High Courts have jurisdiction over civil matters. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Nigeria-compliant documentation.
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Reference this free template in an article, syllabus, or research note:
Forms Legal. (2026). Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria) (Nigeria) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/nigeria/personal/legal-declarations/affidavit-of-identity-nigeria
"Affidavit of Identity (Nigeria) (Nigeria)." Forms Legal, 2026, https://forms-legal.com/nigeria/personal/legal-declarations/affidavit-of-identity-nigeria.
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year = {2026},
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note = {Free legal document template. Based on Contract Law (received English common law)}
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Frequently Asked Questions
An Affidavit of Identity in Nigeria is a sworn declaration confirming that the deponent, known by one name, photograph, or identity record in one context, is the same person as the individual identified by a different name, photograph, or identity record in another context. The affidavit resolves identity discrepancies between official documents and is used across a wide range of Nigerian administrative, financial, and legal contexts. In banking, the Central Bank of Nigeria's Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and the CBN Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Regulations require financial institutions to verify customer identity and to resolve any discrepancies between a customer's account name, NIN (National Identification Number), and BVN (Bank Verification Number). An Affidavit of Identity is routinely required where a customer's name on their bank account does not match their NIN or BVN. For National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) NIN record corrections, NIMC requires an Affidavit of Identity when a person's identity documents (NIN card, voter's card, passport) show inconsistent names or photographs and the person needs to confirm their identity as a single individual. For Nigerian passport applications at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), an Affidavit of Identity may be required where the applicant's supporting documents contain name variations.
The Affidavit of Identity and the Affidavit of Name Change address related but distinct situations in Nigeria. An Affidavit of Name Change is used where a person has deliberately and intentionally changed their name — for example, on marriage, on adoption of a different cultural or religious name, or to correct an error — and needs to formally declare the old name and the new name as belonging to the same person, and to notify institutions of the name change. The focus is on the transition from the old name to the new name. An Affidavit of Identity is used where the same person has been recorded under different name variants, initials, spellings, or combinations of their full name in different documents — without necessarily having consciously changed their name — and needs to confirm their singular identity across those records. For example: a person called Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Obi who is sometimes recorded as 'C.E. Obi', sometimes as 'Emmanuel Obi', and sometimes as 'Chukwuemeka Obi' needs an Affidavit of Identity to confirm that all three name forms refer to the same individual. The Affidavit of Identity often accompanies requests to financial institutions, the NIMC, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and other bodies to merge or reconcile records — whereas the Affidavit of Name Change is used to update records to reflect a specific new name. In practice, Nigerian institutions sometimes use the terms interchangeably, and in many cases a single affidavit document serves both purposes by combining the identity declaration with the name change declaration.
The Bank Verification Number (BVN) system, managed by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) under the oversight of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is the primary biometric identity database for the Nigerian banking sector. BVN corrections — including corrections to the name, date of birth, or other identity data recorded against a BVN — must be made through the bank where the BVN was enrolled, following the CBN's BVN Management and Operational Guidelines. An Affidavit of Identity is a required supporting document for BVN name corrections under the CBN guidelines, and must be submitted along with other supporting documents (NIN card, passport, birth certificate, or other identity documents) to the enrolling bank's branch. The bank verifies the supporting documents and submits a correction request to NIBSS. The CBN guidelines specify that BVN corrections involving name changes require: a sworn affidavit of identity or name change; a valid NIN; and at least one other identity document corroborating the correct name. Where the NIN itself contains the incorrect data, the NIMC correction must be completed first (using an affidavit of identity with NIMC), and then the corrected NIN is used to support the BVN correction request. The process can take several weeks.
Nigerian practice on witnesses for Affidavits of Identity varies depending on the purpose and the institution to which the affidavit is being submitted. The minimum legal requirement for a valid affidavit under the Oaths Act Cap O1 LFN 2004 and the Evidence Act 2011 is that the deponent signs the affidavit before an authorised officer (Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public) who administers the oath and witnesses the deponent's signature. The affidavit does not legally require witnesses beyond the administering officer. However, many Nigerian institutions — particularly banks and immigration authorities — expect or require one or two additional witnesses (apart from the Commissioner for Oaths) to sign the affidavit, confirming that they know the deponent and can vouch for their identity. Where two witnesses are required, they should be adult Nigerians who know the deponent personally, who are not family members living at the same address (as independent witnesses carry more weight), and who are willing to provide their names, addresses, contact details, and signatures. For high-stakes identity assertions — such as those used in probate proceedings, court applications, or international immigration documents — independent witnesses who can be contacted for verification purposes significantly strengthen the affidavit's evidentiary value. Witnesses who knowingly assist in a false identity assertion may face liability for conspiracy to commit fraud under the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 LFN 2004 and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.
There is no statutory expiry period for an Affidavit of Identity under Nigerian law — an affidavit remains formally valid as a sworn declaration of the facts it contains regardless of the time elapsed since it was made. However, in practice, Nigerian institutions impose their own administrative policies on the age of affidavits they will accept. Most Nigerian banks regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) require that affidavits submitted for KYC purposes are dated within three to six months of the submission date, to ensure the declaration reflects the current situation. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and most embassies and High Commissions require that supporting affidavits are dated within a specified period before the application date — typically three to six months. The NIMC has similar administrative requirements for modification applications. Practically, there are two reasons to obtain a fresh affidavit rather than reuse an old one: first, to satisfy the institution's maximum document age policy; and second, because the accuracy of the identity assertion should reflect the deponent's current circumstances. If there have been any changes to the deponent's name, address, NIN, or other identity information since the original affidavit was sworn, a new affidavit reflecting the current position should be obtained. A fresh affidavit also avoids questions about whether the original affidavit was obtained in connection with a different institution's process (which could create confusion or raise concerns about the document being used for an unintended purpose).
This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.Full disclaimer
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