Notarizing an Affidavit of Name Change
When your documents do not all carry the same name, institutions stop. A properly drafted and notarised change of name affidavit is the document that links your former name to your current one, so passports, banks, universities and foreign authorities can act with confidence.
What a change of name affidavit does
An affidavit of change of name is a sworn statement in which you formally declare that you have renounced a former name, adopted a new one, and that both names refer to the same person. It is signed in front of a notary or other authorised officer, who administers the oath and certifies that you swore to its contents.
The practical value of the document is reconciliation. Your birth certificate may say one thing, your school certificates another, your bank records a third. Every institution you deal with has to satisfy itself that these belong to one person, and the affidavit is the evidence that allows them to do so.
Where the document is going abroad, notarisation rather than a commissioner for oaths stamp is what matters. A foreign embassy, university or immigration office is looking for certification designed to be recognised outside Nigeria, and will often reject an affidavit sworn only before a commissioner for oaths at a state high court.
Where a notarised name change affidavit is needed
Almost anyone who has married, corrected a spelling, dropped a name or adopted a new one will eventually be asked for this document. It tends to surface at the worst possible moment, usually mid-application.
Tell us who is asking for it. Requirements differ. The Nigeria Immigration Service, a UK university and a Canadian immigration officer will each want the affidavit presented slightly differently, and some want supporting publication or gazette evidence attached.
- Passport applications and renewals where the name differs from your existing records
- Bank, BVN and account records being updated after marriage or a correction
- Academic records where WAEC, NECO, your degree and your ID do not match
- Visa and immigration files requiring your identity history to be consistent
- University admission abroad where certificates carry a former name
- Pension and PFA records and insurance policies
- NIN and NIMC records being corrected or updated
- Employment and professional registration in Nigeria or overseas
- Property title and land records held in a former name
- Estate and inheritance matters proving you are the person named in a will
Which kind of name change is yours?
The wording, the supporting evidence and sometimes the whole route change depending on why your name is different. Getting this wrong is the main reason these affidavits come back.
Voluntary change of name
You have chosen a new name, or dropped or added one. Normally supported by a newspaper publication, and for some purposes a Federal Government Gazette notice.
Change on marriage
A married woman adopting her husband surname. Often the marriage certificate alone is what the institution actually wants, with an affidavit only needed where records are inconsistent.
Correction of an error
A misspelling, transposed names or a wrong initial on a certificate. This is a rectification affidavit rather than a change of name, and should be drafted as such.
Reversion after divorce
Returning to your maiden name. Supported by the decree absolute or dissolution order, with the affidavit confirming which name you now use.
Confirmation of one and the same person
Where you are not changing anything but need to confirm that two versions of your name refer to you. Common where certificates use initials and your passport uses full names.
Change of name for a child
Sworn by a parent or guardian, with the birth certificate and evidence of the relationship, and normally the consent of both parents where both are named.
What to bring
Always required
- Valid photo ID in at least one of the names: international passport, national identity card, driver licence or permanent voter card.
- The exact spelling of both the former name and the new name, as they should appear. Bring the documents, not just your recollection.
- Your date and place of birth, address and occupation for the body of the affidavit.
- The reason for the change, which has to be stated in the affidavit.
- Where the document is going and who is asking for it.
Depending on the circumstances
- Marriage: the marriage certificate, whether registry, church or customary.
- Divorce: the decree absolute or order dissolving the marriage.
- Voluntary change: the newspaper publication if you have already placed one, or we can advise on doing so.
- Correcting a certificate: the certificate carrying the error, plus a document showing the correct version.
- A child: the birth certificate, your own ID, and the consent of the other parent where applicable.
- Two recent passport photographs, which some institutions attach to the affidavit.
We draft it for you. You do not need to arrive with a prepared affidavit. Tell us the facts and we will produce the wording, tailored to whoever is going to receive it.
How we handle a change of name affidavit
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Tell us the facts
Send scans of the documents carrying each version of your name, explain why they differ, and tell us which institution is asking.
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We draft the wording
We prepare the affidavit in the form the receiving institution expects, confirm whether a publication or gazette notice is also needed, and quote a single fee.
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Swear before the notary
You attend with your ID and the originals. We verify identity, satisfy ourselves you understand the declaration, administer the oath and witness your signature.
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Certificate and onward steps
We attach the notarial certificate and seal, send you a scan, and where required arrange Ministry and embassy legalisation or gazette publication, as required.
After the affidavit is sworn
Swearing the affidavit is the legal act. Making it effective means getting it in front of the right people, and sometimes adding further layers of evidence.
Newspaper publication
For a voluntary change of name, a notice in a national newspaper is customary and many Nigerian institutions expect to see it. It creates a public record and a date from which the new name applies.
Federal Government Gazette
Some employers, professional bodies and foreign authorities ask for gazette publication in addition to the affidavit. It is not required in every case, and it takes longer, so it is worth confirming whether you actually need it before paying for it.
Legalisation for use abroad
If the affidavit is going abroad, expect Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation and, for many countries, legalisation at the relevant embassy or high commission in Nigeria. We handle both stages.
Updating your records
Finally, the affidavit has to be presented to each institution holding your old name. Order enough certified copies at the outset so you are not repeating the exercise for every organisation.
Turnaround at a glance
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Drafting | Same day in most cases |
| Swearing and notarisation | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Newspaper publication | A few days, depending on the paper |
| Gazette publication | Several weeks |
| Ministry legalisation | Several working days |
| Embassy legalisation | Varies by mission |
Order extra certified copies. Most people need to present the affidavit to a bank, an employer, a pension administrator and at least one government office. Copies produced at the same appointment cost far less than a return visit.
Why name change affidavits get rejected
- Inconsistent spelling inside the affidavit itself. If the document spells your former name two different ways, it undermines the very thing it is meant to prove. We check every occurrence against your originals.
- Swearing before a commissioner for oaths when the document is going abroad. Foreign authorities generally want notarisation. This is the single most common reason a name change document is returned from an embassy.
- Using a change of name affidavit when a marriage certificate was wanted. If you changed your name on marriage, many institutions simply want the certificate. Leading with an affidavit can raise questions that did not need asking.
- Skipping the newspaper publication. For a voluntary change, most Nigerian institutions expect it. Without it, the affidavit often gets treated as incomplete.
- Paying for a gazette notice nobody asked for. It is slow and it is not always required. Confirm the requirement in writing before committing to it.
- Not stating a reason for the change. An affidavit that declares a new name without explaining why invites suspicion, particularly in immigration files.
- Forgetting one institution. Updating your bank but not your pension administrator, or your passport but not your academic records, recreates the same mismatch later.
Name change FAQs
Do I need a newspaper publication as well as the affidavit?
For a voluntary change of name, yes in most cases. A notice in a national newspaper is the customary supporting step in Nigeria and many banks, employers and government offices expect to see it alongside the affidavit. Where the change arises from marriage or divorce, the certificate or court order usually takes the place of a publication. We will tell you which applies to your situation.
Do I need a Federal Government Gazette notice?
Not always. Some employers, professional bodies and foreign authorities specifically ask for gazette publication, and where they do it must be obtained. Many institutions accept the affidavit and newspaper publication alone. Because gazetting takes weeks and adds cost, we always suggest confirming the requirement in writing before starting it.
Can I swear the affidavit from outside Nigeria?
Not before us, because an oath requires your physical presence. If you are abroad, you can swear it before a notary in that country and then have it legalised for use in Nigeria, or before a consular officer at a Nigerian mission. Tell us where you are and what the document is for and we will set out the cleanest route, then act on it here once it arrives.
As a married woman, do I need an affidavit or just my marriage certificate?
Usually the marriage certificate is sufficient for the name change itself. An affidavit becomes useful where your records are inconsistent for other reasons, where the certificate is not in a form the institution accepts, or where a foreign authority has specifically asked for a sworn statement confirming that both names refer to you. Send us what they asked for and we will tell you which document is actually needed.
What is the difference between an affidavit and a deed poll?
A deed poll is a deed by which you bind yourself to use a new name, and it is the usual instrument in some other jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom. In Nigeria the sworn affidavit, supported by newspaper publication, is the conventional route. If a foreign institution has specifically asked for a deed poll, tell us and we will prepare a document that satisfies the substance of what they want.
Can I change a child name with an affidavit?
Yes. The affidavit is sworn by a parent or legal guardian rather than the child. You should bring the child birth certificate, your own valid photo ID and evidence of your relationship. Where both parents are named on the birth certificate, the consent of both is normally expected, and its absence can cause the document to be questioned later.
How many certified copies will I need?
List every organisation holding your former name, including banks, your employer, your pension administrator, NIMC, the Nigeria Immigration Service, schools and universities, and any insurer. Most keep the copy you give them. Ordering those copies during the same appointment is considerably cheaper than coming back for each one.
Documents often needed alongside this one
Notarizing a Nigerian Birth Certificate
Usually the document carrying your original name, and the starting point of the chain.
Notarizing Academic Credentials
Certificates and transcripts issued in a former name need the affidavit attached.
Notarizing a Passport Biodata Page
Proves the name you currently hold and is normally submitted with the affidavit.
Need a name change affidavit notarised?
Send us the documents carrying each version of your name and tell us who is asking for it. We will draft the affidavit, confirm what supporting steps you need, and quote one fee.
Get in touch
Send us a scan and where it needs to go. We will confirm the correct certification, the fee and the turnaround, usually the same day.