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The short answer
Hang up and contact the High Commission yourself on the details it publishes: 9 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5BX, telephone 020 7839 1244, email hc@nigeriahc.org.uk. Its own pages say fees are paid by postal order or through its e-payment portal, and that information not issued through authorised channels should be disregarded, so never pay a caller by bank transfer, card or gift card. Report the call to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
The pattern is familiar. Someone calls, sounding official, and says there is a problem with your passport, your visa, your NIN or a package in your name. They say they are from the Nigeria High Commission in London, or from immigration, and that a fee or fine must be paid today to avoid arrest, deportation or a cancelled passport. The number may even look like a London number. This article sets out how to check, using only what the High Commission and UK reporting bodies publish.
The official contact details to check against
The High Commission's own website lists the following (read October 2026):
- Address
- Nigeria High Commission, 9 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5BX
- Telephone
- 020 7839 1244 (shown as +44 207 839 1244 in the contact section)
- hc@nigeriahc.org.uk
- Submissions
- Immigration and consular submissions 9:00am to 1:00pm; official opening hours 10:00am to 5:30pm
- Payments
- Postal order or the High Commission's e-payment portal at payments.nigeriahc.org.uk
- Visa applications
- Submitted at the outsourced office at 56-57 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1JU, not at Northumberland Avenue
Caller ID can be faked, so a number that matches 020 7839 1244 on your screen proves nothing. What matters is that you end the call and dial the published number yourself, ideally from a different phone, or write to the published email.
How payments to the High Commission actually work
The High Commission's consular and immigration pages describe fees paid by postal order made out to the Nigeria High Commission, or through its e-payment portal. Its consular page says cash and cheque are not accepted for student registration, and its passport notices list fixed amounts: a £20 standard administrative charge, and £150 for a lost, misplaced or damaged passport. Passport fees themselves are paid on the Nigeria Immigration Service portal.
Nothing on those pages describes paying a caller by bank transfer to a personal account, by card over the phone, in crypto, or with gift or voucher codes. A request to pay any of those ways is the clearest sign you are not dealing with the High Commission.
The High Commission's own warning
In a public notice dated 11 September 2026, the High Commission said publications claiming a £70 administrative fee had presidential approval were incorrect, that the standard charge remains £20, and that applicants who paid £70 would receive £50 back. It advised the public to disregard any information not communicated through authorised channels. That is the standard to apply to calls, texts and WhatsApp messages too. The site does not say whether staff ever phone applicants, so do not rely on a rule that it never calls; rely instead on checking through the published contacts.
Warning signs on the call
- Urgency and threats: arrest today, deportation, a cancelled passport, a warrant.
- Secrecy: told not to tell family or not to hang up.
- Unusual payment: transfer to a named person, card details read out, gift cards, crypto.
- Personal data requests: your BVN, NIN, bank PIN, one-time passcodes or online banking details. No legitimate passport process needs your banking passcodes.
- Pressure to install an app or share your screen.
- A voice you think you know asking for money urgently. Voices can be faked; see voice cloning scams.
Steps if you have had the call
- End the call. Do not confirm details or press keys.
- Check independently. Call 020 7839 1244 or email hc@nigeriahc.org.uk about any real application you have. Have your application reference ready.
- If you paid or shared bank details, call your bank straight away using the number on the back of your card, and ask it to stop or recall the payment. Speed matters for any chance of recovery.
- Report it. Report Fraud, the UK service that replaced Action Fraud and is run by the City of London Police, takes reports at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
- If you shared your BVN or NIN, tell your Nigerian bank and watch your accounts. Scams that use BVN threats are covered in 'your BVN will be blocked' calls.
Related scams aimed at the diaspora
The same approach is used for fake visa agents promising quicker Nigerian visas, fake passport appointment sellers, and callers posing as UK banks or HMRC. The defence is the same each time: hang up, contact the organisation on details you looked up yourself, and pay only through the channel its own website names. If money has already gone through a transfer app, read how to report a remittance scam in the UK and when UK banks reimburse push-payment fraud.
Where Pryme fits
Scammers often move fast to get one-time codes. Pryme does not use SMS codes: sign-in uses an authenticator app and payments need your transaction PIN, which you should never read out to anyone. Nothing leaves your account without your approval. More on how Pryme protects your account.
Questions people ask
Does the Nigeria High Commission in London call people about fees?
Its website does not say either way. Whatever the caller says, end the call and contact the High Commission yourself on 020 7839 1244 or hc@nigeriahc.org.uk.
How do I pay the Nigeria High Commission London?
Its pages list postal orders made out to the Nigeria High Commission or its e-payment portal at payments.nigeriahc.org.uk. Passport fees are paid on the Nigeria Immigration Service portal.
Is the £70 Nigerian passport admin fee real?
No. The High Commission said on 11 September 2026 that the £70 claim was incorrect, the standard charge is £20, and those who paid £70 will receive £50 back.
Where do I report a scam call in the UK?
Report Fraud, run by the City of London Police, at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040. Call your bank first if you paid anything.
Sources
- Nigeria High Commission London: About and public notices (Sept-Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission London: Immigration (visa, e-passport, emergency travel certificate) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission London: Consular services and fees · accessed Oct 2026
- Harrow Town Centre: Action Fraud becomes Report Fraud, 4 Dec 2025 · 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.