Affidavits: the small document that fixes a lot
An affidavit is a written statement you swear to be true before a court or Commissioner for Oaths. In Nigeria it is the quiet workhorse of paperwork — used to change a name, declare an age, correct a detail that differs across your documents, or confirm almost any fact. This guide explains the common affidavits, when you need one, and how to get one that banks, schools and government offices actually accept.
Honest note: RenewPapers is not a court. Affidavits are sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths or a notary. What we do is draft the affidavit correctly for its purpose and arrange the swearing — and the newspaper/gazette steps where a name change needs them.
The affidavits people need most
- Change of name — after marriage, divorce, or by choice. A proper name change usually pairs the affidavit with newspaper publication and sometimes a gazette, then updates to your NIN, passport and bank.
- Declaration of age / age correction — where no birth certificate exists or a date is wrong; often used with a birth attestation.
- Affidavit of correction — reconciling a name or detail that differs across documents (the root cause of most rejections).
- Statutory declaration — a formal declaration of fact for banks, schools, embassies and employers.
What do you need to declare?
An affidavit alone rarely finishes the job. A change-of-name affidavit does not change your NIN or passport by itself — those records must then be updated. We handle the affidavit and the follow-through, so your name is consistent across every document.
Need an affidavit or declaration?
Tell us what you need to declare — a name change, an age, a correction. We will draft it correctly, arrange the swearing, and carry the change through to your other records.
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Frequently asked questions
Where can I get an affidavit in Nigeria?
An affidavit is sworn before a court Commissioner for Oaths or a notary. We draft it correctly for its purpose and arrange the swearing — start here.
My name is different / dates of birth differ across my documents
That is the commonest cause of rejections. We prepare an affidavit of correction and align the underlying records (NIN, passport, bank) so it does not recur.
How do I correct government records?
We handle corrections across NIN, passport, CAC, certificates and more — and the affidavit that usually supports them.
Do you cover Lagos, Abuja and other cities — or Nigerians abroad?
Yes. We handle this for clients in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan and nationwide, and for Nigerians abroad (UK, USA, Canada and beyond) through our diaspora service. It is done online and by proxy, so there is no need to find an agent “near me”; start here.
Sorting civil records? You may also need
Handpicked next steps for this — we can handle any of them for you.
Document legalisation & attestationMake a Nigerian document valid abroad.
Correct your NIN detailsChange your name or details on your NIN record.
Change your passport dataUpdate the bio-data on your passport.
Get your NINYour NIN is required before almost every other document.
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