Affidavit of Relationship (Nigeria)
AFFIDAVIT OF RELATIONSHIP
Evidence Act 2011 | Oaths Act Cap O1 LFN 2004 | Pension Reform Act 2014 | National Health Act 2014 | 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 I personally know both [Person 1 Name] and [Person 2 Name] and can confirm their relationship.
3. That the relationship between [Person 1 Name] and [Person 2 Name] is: [Relationship Type].
4. Further particulars of the relationship: [Relationship Description].
5. Supporting documentary evidence of the relationship: [Supporting Documents].
6. That I make this affidavit for the following purpose: [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 Relationship (Nigeria)?
An Affidavit of Relationship in Nigeria confirms specified facts through a signed declaration sworn before a commissioner for oaths or notary.
The legal basis for the Affidavit of Relationship is the Oaths Act Cap O1 LFN 2004 and the Evidence Act 2011. The deponent assumes criminal liability for perjury under the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 LFN 2004 (southern states) or the Penal Code (northern states) if the declared relationship is known to be false. In the context of immigration, a false relationship affidavit may additionally constitute the offence of making false statements to a public official and may attract sanctions under the Immigration Act Cap I1 LFN 2004.
The need for Affidavits of Relationship in Nigeria is driven by the gap between the formal civil registration system — administered by the National Population Commission (NPC) under the National Population Commission Act Cap N30 LFN 2004 — and the practical reality that many family relationships in Nigeria are not fully documented in official records. The NPC issues birth certificates, but historical birth registration rates have been low. The Marriage Act Cap M6 LFN 2004 provides for registration of statutory marriages, but customary law marriages — which are legally valid in Nigeria under customary law and are the form of marriage contracted by many Nigerians — are not always formally registered. In families where children were born before official registration became widespread, or where customary marriages were not formally documented, the Affidavit of Relationship fills a critical evidentiary gap.
The Pension Reform Act 2014 (PRA 2014) administered by the National Pension Commission (PenCom), the Employee's Compensation Act 2010 (ECA) administered by NSITF, and the group life insurance requirements under the PRA 2014 all create practical demands for Affidavits of Relationship by surviving relatives seeking death benefits. The High Court Probate Registries across Nigeria also process large volumes of Letters of Administration applications annually, each requiring evidence of the applicant's relationship to the deceased.
For international use — including embassy visa applications and immigration proceedings abroad — the Affidavit of Relationship should be sworn before a Notary Public and apostilled following Nigeria's 2024 accession to the Hague Apostille Convention.
The legal framework governing the Affidavit of Relationship (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 Relationship (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 Relationship (Nigeria)?
A Nigeria Affidavit of Relationship is needed whenever a person must formally demonstrate their family or personal relationship to another person in a legal, administrative, financial, or immigration context.
When a Nigerian woman applies for a UK Spouse Visa to join her husband who is a British citizen or settled person in the United Kingdom, and her marriage was contracted as a customary law marriage that does not have a marriage certificate in the form expected by UK Visas and Immigration, an Affidavit of Relationship (notarised and apostilled) confirms the subsisting marriage and the nature of the relationship as supplementary evidence.
When a surviving child of a deceased pension contributor seeks to claim the RSA death benefit from the contributor's Pension Fund Administrator under the Pension Reform Act 2014, the PFA requires an Affidavit of Relationship confirming the child's biological parentage and the deceased contributor's identity, together with the death certificate and letters of administration.
When a sibling applies for Letters of Administration of a deceased intestate's estate at the Lagos State High Court Probate Registry — because the deceased left no surviving spouse or children — an Affidavit of Relationship sets out the sibling's relationship to the deceased and their priority claim to administer the estate under the Lagos State Succession Law 2015.
When a parent applies to enrol their child in a Nigerian primary school and the child does not have a birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission (NPC), an Affidavit of Relationship by the parent confirms parentage and the child's date of birth for enrolment purposes under the Universal Basic Education (UBE) framework.
When a hospital treating an unconscious patient in an emergency requires consent to a medical procedure from a next-of-kin under the National Health Act 2014, and the attending relative does not have documentary proof of their relationship to the patient, an expedited Affidavit of Relationship (or verbal attestation recorded by hospital staff) supports the consent process.
Parties in Nigeria should prepare a Affidavit of Relationship (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 Relationship (Nigeria)
A Nigeria Affidavit of Relationship must contain the following essential elements to be effective for the specific institution or proceeding for which it is intended.
Deponent's identity: Full legal name, date of birth, residential address, occupation, NIN, and the relationship the deponent has to the person(s) named in the affidavit — for example, 'I am the biological father of...', 'I am the lawfully married spouse of...'.
Identity of the related person: Full name, date of birth, address, and NIN (if available) of the person to whom the deponent declares a relationship. For deceased persons, the date of death and last known address should be stated.
Nature of the relationship: A precise description of the relationship — for example: biological mother, biological father, biological child, adopted child (with reference to the adoption court order), lawful wife (with reference to the type of marriage and date), customary law husband, sibling (full or half), grandparent, uncle/aunt, or other specified relationship.
Basis of the relationship: How the relationship came to exist — for example, birth from a specified mother and father, statutory marriage contracted at a specified registry on a specified date, customary law marriage with specified traditional ceremonies, adoption order made by a specified court on a specified date, or any other legally recognised basis for the relationship.
Duration and continuity: Confirmation that the relationship continues to subsist — or, for deceased persons, confirmation that the relationship subsisted at the time of death and the basis of the claimant's surviving rights.
Purpose statement: The specific purpose for which the affidavit is made, identifying the institution (embassy, PFA, probate registry, school, insurance company) and the transaction or proceeding it supports.
Corroborating evidence exhibits: All available supporting documents — birth certificate, marriage certificate, school records, NIN records, photographs — exhibited and identified as Exhibits A, B, C etc.
Declaration of truth: The standard sworn declaration of accuracy with acknowledgement of criminal liability for perjury under the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 LFN 2004.
Jurat: Date, location, Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public name, designation, signature, and official stamp.
Additional compliance elements for a Affidavit of Relationship (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 Relationship (Nigeria) (Nigeria) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/nigeria/personal/legal-declarations/affidavit-of-relationship-nigeria
"Affidavit of Relationship (Nigeria) (Nigeria)." Forms Legal, 2026, https://forms-legal.com/nigeria/personal/legal-declarations/affidavit-of-relationship-nigeria.
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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 Relationship in Nigeria is a sworn declaration before a Commissioner for Oaths confirming the nature of the familial, marital, or social relationship between two or more named persons. The document is used across a wide range of Nigerian administrative, legal, and immigration contexts where formal proof of relationship is required but documentary evidence (such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or court adoption order) is unavailable or insufficient. Common uses include: immigration and visa applications — embassies and High Commissions in Nigeria require proof of family relationships for family reunification visas, spouse visas, and dependent child visas; where official documents are incomplete, an Affidavit of Relationship provides supplementary sworn evidence. Estate and probate administration — where a relative claims entitlement to a deceased person's estate as a child, sibling, or parent, an Affidavit of Relationship filed at the High Court Probate Registry establishes the relationship claimed. Pension death benefits — where a deceased contributor's pension benefit under the Pension Reform Act 2014 is claimed by a surviving family member, the Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) requires an Affidavit of Relationship to confirm the claimant's status as spouse, child, or dependent. Insurance claims — group life insurers require proof of the beneficiary's relationship to the insured. School and university enrolment — some Nigerian schools require proof of the relationship between a student and their parent or guardian.
An Affidavit of Relationship can be used as a substitute or supplement for a birth certificate in Nigerian administrative contexts where the birth certificate is unavailable, but its acceptance depends on the institution and the purpose. In Nigeria, low historical birth registration rates — particularly for older generations and rural births — mean that many persons lack National Population Commission (NPC) birth certificates. The NPC, established under the National Population Commission Act Cap N30 LFN 2004, is responsible for issuing birth certificates and maintaining Nigeria's civil registration system, but its records are incomplete for older cohorts. For school enrolment — particularly at primary level in states that operate free universal basic education under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) framework — an Affidavit of Relationship by the parent or guardian confirming the child's parentage is widely accepted where a birth certificate is unavailable. For NIMC NIN enrolment of children, an Affidavit of Relationship by the parent confirming that the child being enrolled is their biological or legal child supports the enrolment application. For Nigerian passport applications where the applicant's birth certificate does not show the father's name (a common issue for some cohorts), an Affidavit of Relationship by the father confirming paternity is accepted by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as supplementary evidence.
For family reunification and dependent visa applications at foreign embassies and High Commissions in Nigeria, the Affidavit of Relationship must precisely declare the specific legal or biological relationship between the visa applicant (typically in Nigeria) and the sponsor or host (typically abroad). For spouse or partner visas — including UK Spouse Visas processed under the UK Home Office Immigration Rules, US Spouse or Fiancé(e) Visas under the US Immigration and Nationality Act, and Canadian Spousal Sponsorship under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act — the affidavit must confirm the lawful marriage, including the type of marriage (statutory under Nigeria's Marriage Act Cap M6 LFN 2004, or customary law marriage), the date and place of marriage, and the current subsisting nature of the relationship. For dependent child visas, the affidavit must confirm the biological parentage or legal guardianship of the child, the date of birth of the child, and the legal basis of the parent-child relationship. For parent or elderly dependent visas (where a parent is seeking to join an adult child abroad), the affidavit confirms the parental relationship. Foreign embassies that accept Affidavits of Relationship typically require the document to be notarised (sworn before a Notary Public rather than just a Commissioner for Oaths) and, following Nigeria's 2024 accession to the Hague Apostille Convention, apostilled by the competent Nigerian authority for use in Apostille Convention countries.
In Nigerian estate administration proceedings, an Affidavit of Relationship is a key document filed at the Probate Registry of the High Court to establish the identity and entitlement of a person claiming to be a relative of a deceased. When a person dies intestate (without a valid will) in Nigeria, their estate is distributed among their surviving relatives in an order of priority that depends on the applicable law — either the statutory scheme under the relevant state Administration of Estates Law, or the applicable customary law. To obtain Letters of Administration from the High Court Probate Registry — the formal court authority that enables an administrator to collect and distribute the estate — the applicant must satisfy the court of their relationship to the deceased. The Affidavit of Relationship, sworn by the applicant, sets out the applicant's claimed relationship to the deceased (surviving spouse, adult child, parent, or sibling), the date and place of the deceased's death, and the basis of the applicant's priority to administer the estate. Where multiple relatives are competing to administer the estate, each will file an Affidavit of Relationship setting out their claim. The High Court Probate Registry assesses these claims and grants Letters of Administration to the person with priority.
The evidentiary strength of an Affidavit of Relationship in Nigeria is significantly enhanced by corroborating documentation, and most institutions require supporting evidence alongside the sworn affidavit. An affidavit is a self-declaration — the deponent's own sworn statement. While it carries criminal liability for perjury if false, a sophisticated institution (particularly embassies, courts, and pension administrators) will scrutinise the affidavit alongside objective corroborating evidence. Supporting documentation that corroborates an Affidavit of Relationship includes: birth certificates issued by the National Population Commission (NPC) for family relationships involving children; marriage certificates issued by the state government marriage registry under the Marriage Act Cap M6 LFN 2004 for spousal relationships; school records, medical records, or hospital birth records showing the names of parents; National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment records from NIMC, which may capture parents' names and family relationships; photographs of the deponent with the named relative in family settings; evidence of financial interdependence (bank remittances, shared accounts); and community or religious leader letters confirming the family relationship in the relevant community.
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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