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The short answer
To bury in Nigeria a parent who died in England or Wales, the death is registered first, then a funeral director gives the coroner notice (Form 104) and obtains the Out of England permission (Form 103), which Hertfordshire's coroner service says usually takes up to four working days if there is no investigation. The body is embalmed, placed in a zinc-lined coffin and flown home. One funeral director's November 2023 price list put its own services at £2,655 before coffin, air freight and fees.
Step 1: the medical certificate and the coroner
When someone dies in the UK, a doctor certifies the cause of death. If the death was sudden, unexplained or followed an accident, it is referred to the coroner. A coroner's investigation, and especially an inquest, can delay everything: Simplicity Cremations' repatriation guide says an inquest can take weeks or even months. Tell the funeral director at once that you plan to bury in Nigeria.
Step 2: register the death
The death is registered at the register office for the area where it happened, and there is a short legal deadline. The register office, or GOV.UK's Register a death service, gives the time limit and what to bring. Order several certified copies of the death certificate: the airline, the Nigerian authorities, banks, insurers and pension providers will each want one. In Scotland the rules differ, and Simplicity notes that a Certificate of No Liability to Register is needed for a burial abroad.
Step 3: the coroner's permission to move the body
Taking a body out of England or Wales needs the coroner's permission, even where the coroner was not otherwise involved. Hertfordshire County Council's coroner page sets out the process:
- The funeral director sends notice of intention to remove the body (Form 104).
- The coroner signs the Out of England form (Form 103).
- Documents usually needed: a two-page removal questionnaire, a doctor's identification certificate, the deceased's passport, the applicant's passport and the death certificate (in non-coroner cases).
- If the coroner is not investigating, permission usually comes within four working days. Weekend or bank holiday releases are possible only if the death is registered.
Step 4: preparing the body and the paperwork for Nigeria
Simplicity's guide says embalming is required for repatriation and most countries require a zinc-lined coffin. The documents usually include the coroner's permission, a freedom from infection certificate, an embalming certificate and the deceased's passport. Confirm the list with the Nigeria High Commission in London. Its consular page does not list a corpse repatriation service, so contact the consular section directly to ask what it needs, and expect to pay its £20 administrative charge on any consular service, by postal order.
Step 5: the costs in the UK
Funeral Partners' November 2023 repatriation price list is one of the few published examples. Treat it as a guide only, since prices will have moved:
| Item | Price (Nov 2023) |
|---|---|
| Funeral director services (collection, care, embalming, crating, airport vehicle, professional services) | £2,655 |
| Zinc lining of coffin | £350 (£400 with viewing panel) |
| Local service before departure, if wanted | £500 to £850 |
| Coffin or casket | From brochure |
| Airline freight, consular fees, certificates | Disbursements, quoted separately |
The price list says full payment is required before repatriation. Our guide to repatriation costs from the UK to Lagos builds a full example.
Step 6: arrival and burial in Nigeria
At the Nigerian end, a family member or a Nigerian funeral home receives the body at the airport and arranges the mortuary, the lying-in-state, the service and the burial. These costs vary widely by state, family and faith, so get written quotes. Our worked example of a burial budget in Nigeria lists the usual items.
Nigeria's National Population Commission moved to digital civil registration in 2026; Leadership reported that its death notification portal is free to use. A UK death certificate covers the death itself, but Nigerian banks and pension firms may ask for local documents too.
Money in the first week
Families are often surprised by how quickly money is needed. The UK funeral director usually wants payment before the body leaves, the airline is paid through the funeral director, and relatives at home start spending on the mortuary and preparations straight away. A few practical points:
- Ask the funeral director for an itemised quote and a payment date in writing before you sign.
- Check whether the deceased had a funeral plan, a life policy, a workplace death-in-service benefit or a union or community scheme that covers repatriation.
- If you collect contributions from friends and church members, use one account and keep a list. Our guide to keeping account of funeral collections shows a simple ledger.
- Agree within the family who signs off each payment, in the UK and in Nigeria, so that two people do not pay the same bill.
Money in the deceased's own accounts may not be available quickly once the bank is told of the death. Ask each bank what it can release, and to whom, before relying on it for the funeral.
Where Pryme fits
Funeral director bills are paid in pounds and burial costs at home in naira. A Pryme account holds both, and family contributions in either currency can be kept together and paid out with Send. Pryme's Personal Assistant can keep track of the payment list in a hard week; nothing moves without your approval.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to fly a body from the UK to Nigeria?
If the coroner is not investigating, the Out of England permission usually comes within four working days, according to Hertfordshire's coroner service. An inquest can add weeks or months.
What documents are needed to repatriate a body to Nigeria?
Usually the death certificate, the coroner's Out of England form, an embalming certificate, a freedom from infection certificate and the deceased's passport. Confirm the list with the Nigeria High Commission in London.
Does the Nigeria High Commission handle repatriation?
Its consular page does not list a corpse repatriation service, so contact the consular section directly. A £20 administrative charge applies to consular services.
How much does it cost to send a body home to Nigeria?
One funeral director's November 2023 list put its own services at £2,655, plus zinc lining from £350, the coffin, airline freight and fees, which are quoted separately.
Sources
- Hertfordshire County Council: Take a body out of England · accessed Oct 2026
- Simplicity Cremations: Body repatriation from the UK to overseas · accessed Oct 2026
- Funeral Partners: Repatriation services and price list (Nov 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission London: Consular services · accessed Oct 2026
- Leadership: How to apply for birth and death registration as FG launches online platform · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.