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The short answer
To claim a deceased person's bank account in Nigeria, the family must first obtain a court grant: probate if there was a will, or letters of administration if there was not. The bank pays the balance to the executors or administrators named in that grant, not to the next of kin on the account form.
When an account holder dies, the money in the account becomes part of their estate. Nigerian banks do not release it because a relative turns up with a death certificate, and they do not release it to whoever is written as next of kin. A senior banker told Daily Trust in December 2023 that no Nigerian framework recognises a "payable on death" instruction and that the estate must present probate or letters of administration before funds are released. This guide sets out the route in order.
Step one: work out whether there was a will
Everything turns on this question, because it decides which grant you need from the High Court probate registry in the state where the deceased lived or held property.
- Probate
- Issued when there is a valid will. The executors named in the will apply, and the grant confirms their authority to collect and distribute the estate.
- Letters of administration
- Issued when there is no will (an intestate estate). The court appoints administrators, usually close family, in an order of priority set by state law.
- Letters of administration with will annexed
- Used where there is a will but no executor able or willing to act.
If you are not sure whether a will exists, check with the deceased's lawyer, the probate registry where wills may be deposited, and the family's papers before you start an intestate application. Starting the wrong process wastes months.
Step two: notify the bank and list the accounts
Write to each bank where the deceased had an account. Attach a copy of the death certificate and ask the bank to confirm, in writing, which accounts were held and what its deceased-customer procedure requires. You will need this list anyway: the Lagos probate application described by Tope Adebayo LP (Mondaq, May 2024) asks for the deceased's bank accounts, with bank name, account number and branch, alongside shareholdings and property.
Step three: apply for the grant
In Lagos, the process published by Tope Adebayo LP runs as follows. Other states follow a broadly similar pattern, but forms and fees differ, so check your state's probate registry.
- Fill in the application form online, print it and have the proposed administrators sign it in ink. At least two administrators are named.
- Submit a formal letter of application, the death certificate, a passport photograph of the deceased and details of the assets.
- Pay the statutory and administrative fees. The registry then issues a bank certificate.
- Take the bank certificate to each bank and company where the deceased had money or shares so that each one endorses the value held.
- Return the endorsed certificate. The registry assesses estate fees as a percentage of the total estate value, and these must be paid before the file moves on.
- Present two sureties, each with ID, passport photographs, bank statements, evidence of property and an affidavit of means. Administrators and sureties attend an interview.
- The application is published in newspapers for 21 days so that anyone with an objection can file a caveat.
- If nobody objects, the letters are prepared, reviewed by the probate registrar and judge, and issued.
Our separate guide on getting letters of administration covers who can apply and the costs in more detail.
Step four: present the grant to the bank
Once the grant is issued, the executors or administrators take the original (or a certified true copy, if the bank accepts one) to each bank with their own identification. The bank checks the grant and pays the balance into an estate account or to the representatives as the grant directs. The representatives then distribute according to the will or the intestacy rules, not according to the next-of-kin field.
What to bring
- The grant of probate or letters of administration
- Death certificate
- Valid ID for each executor or administrator (the Lagos registry accepts a driver's licence, international passport, NIN slip or voter's card at application stage)
- Any bank letter or reference the bank issued when you first notified it
- Account details for the estate account or the representatives
How long it takes, and what happens if nobody claims
The only fixed period in the Lagos process published by Tope Adebayo LP is the 21-day newspaper publication. The article gives no overall timeline, and the total depends on how quickly forms are accepted, how many banks must endorse the certificate and whether anyone objects. See how long a deceased account claim takes for the stages that usually cause delay.
An account that sits untouched does not stay at the bank for ever. GTBank's published guidance, based on CBN guidelines issued on 19 July 2024, says balances inactive for 10 years or more are transferred to the CBN as unclaimed balances. They can still be reclaimed through the bank, but the estate then has a further process to follow, described in claiming an unclaimed balance from the CBN.
What to check first
- Is there a will, and who is named as executor?
- Which banks, fintechs and wallets did the deceased use? Look for SMS alerts, statements and app notifications.
- Is any account joint? Read what happens to a joint account when one holder dies.
- Who are the people entitled to apply under your state's law, and can at least two of them act together?
Where Pryme fits
For the living, the most useful step is a clear paper trail. Any Pryme customer can generate a verifiable statement through our partnership with VerifyDoc.ai, which anyone can check is genuine and unaltered; keeping one with your important papers helps executors find and evidence your accounts. See verifiable receipts and statements, and how a verifiable statement differs from a bank-stamped one.
Questions people ask
Can I withdraw money from my late father's account with his death certificate?
No. A death certificate lets you notify the bank, but the bank releases the money only to the executors or administrators named in a probate or letters of administration grant.
Does the next of kin on the account get the money?
No. The next of kin is a contact. The money goes to the legal representatives, who distribute it under the will or the intestacy rules.
Do I need a lawyer to get letters of administration in Lagos?
Families can deal with the registry directly, but forms are rejected for small errors, so many use a lawyer. Ask the registry what it accepts.
What happens if no one claims a dead person's bank account?
Under CBN guidelines described by GTBank, balances inactive for 10 years or more move to the CBN as unclaimed balances, from where they can still be reclaimed.
Sources
- Daily Trust: Explainer: why next of kin cannot access deceased's inheritance (10 Dec 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- Mondaq (Tope Adebayo LP): Issuance of letters of administration in Nigeria, a practical approach (29 May 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- GTBank: Guidelines for managing dormant accounts, unclaimed balances and other financial assets · 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.