Who is allowed to notarize a document in Nigeria?
Notarization in Nigeria can only be carried out by a Notary Public. This is not the same as simply being a lawyer. According to Nigerian legal commentary, the Chief Justice of Nigeria holds the exclusive authority to appoint notaries public, and appointments are generally reserved for legal practitioners who have been called to the Nigerian Bar and have built up substantial post-call experience. The office is governed by the Notaries Public Act 2023, which replaced the earlier Notaries Public Act, Cap N141, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
In practice, this means a large share of the lawyers you might otherwise approach are not authorized to notarize anything, even if they are fully licensed to practice law. Always confirm someone's specific notary appointment before relying on their seal.
What do I need to bring to get a document notarized?
- The original document you need notarized (not a photocopy).
- A valid, government-issued form of photo ID (international passport, National ID/NIN slip, or driver's licence), so the notary can confirm your identity.
- Yourself, in person, to sign the document in the notary's physical presence — a notary is verifying that you are who you say you are and that you signed voluntarily, so pre-signing before you arrive usually defeats the purpose.
- Any supporting documents the receiving institution (embassy, foreign university, bank) specifically asked for alongside the notarization.
The notary reviews the document, verifies your identity, witnesses your signature where required, and then certifies the document with their official stamp, seal, and signature. Certified true copies of existing documents follow a similar process: the notary compares the copy against the original before certifying it.
How do I find a genuine, registered notary public?
Nigeria now has an official Electronic Notary Register (ENR), run through notary.gov.ng, which lists duly appointed Notaries Public, allows verification of a notary's official credentials, and lets you confirm the authenticity of an already-notarized document. Under the Notaries Public Act 2023, notaries are required to register on this database.
Before paying anyone claiming to be a notary, check their name and credentials on the ENR rather than taking a business card, office signage, or a law firm's own website at face value. This matters because the consequence of using a fake or unregistered "notary" is that the document may not hold up when the receiving institution checks it.
Notary Public vs Commissioner for Oaths: which do I need?
These two roles are often confused in Nigeria, but they're not interchangeable. A Commissioner for Oaths administers oaths and witnesses affidavits, mainly for domestic use such as court filings within Nigeria, and their authority does not carry the same weight internationally. A Notary Public has broader authority: administering oaths, certifying documents, and notarizing paperwork intended for use outside Nigeria, with recognition that generally extends internationally.
If the document is headed to a foreign embassy, an overseas university, or a foreign government agency, a Notary Public is the correct route. If it's a straightforward local affidavit for a Nigerian court or agency, a Commissioner for Oaths may be sufficient and typically cheaper. When in doubt, ask the institution requesting the document which one they require — they usually specify.
Do I need an apostille too?
No — and this trips a lot of people up. Nigeria is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so Nigerian authorities don't issue apostille stamps at all. An apostille obtained elsewhere has no legal effect for a Nigerian-issued document.
Instead, a document notarized in Nigeria for use abroad typically needs to go through a longer authentication chain: certification at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, followed by legalization at the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used. This is slower and more involved than an apostille, so build the extra time into your timeline if the document is time-sensitive (a visa application deadline, for example).
How much does notarization cost in Nigeria?
There's no single, fixed statutory fee published for notarizing an individual document. Legal and law-firm sources describing typical market rates suggest costs commonly fall somewhere in the range of a few thousand to several tens of thousands of naira per document, depending on the notary, the document's complexity, and location — Lagos notaries are often reported as charging more than notaries in other cities. Because these figures come from secondary commentary rather than an official published fee schedule, treat them as a rough starting expectation only, and ask your notary for their exact charge before your appointment rather than assuming a number in advance.
People also ask
What documents commonly get notarized in Nigeria?
Affidavits, statutory declarations, powers of attorney, academic transcripts and certificates being sent abroad, corporate documents like board resolutions, and certified true copies of documents such as birth certificates or degree certificates.
Can I get a document notarized without being physically present?
Generally no. Notarization is built around the notary personally verifying your identity and witnessing your signature, so in-person attendance is the standard expectation for Nigerian notarization.
Is every lawyer's stamp a valid notary stamp?
No. A lawyer's ordinary practice stamp is not the same as a Notary Public's official seal. Only check the Electronic Notary Register at notary.gov.ng to confirm someone actually holds a current notary appointment.