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The short answer
When someone dies in Canada without a valid will covering their Nigerian assets, the family applies to the probate registry of the High Court in the Nigerian state where the assets are for letters of administration. Using Lagos as the example, the process involves an application by at least two proposed administrators, a certificate from each bank holding the deceased's money, estate fees based on the estate's value, two sureties, an interview and a newspaper publication giving 21 days for objections. The Canadian death certificate must first be authenticated in Canada so the Nigerian court will accept it.
Deaths abroad create a particular problem for Nigerian families. The person died in Toronto or Winnipeg; the money is at a bank in Lagos, the land in Enugu, the pension with a PFA in Abuja. Nigerian institutions will not release anything to a spouse or eldest son simply because they are next of kin. They want a grant from a Nigerian court. This article explains why, how the Lagos process runs, and what the family in Canada must supply.
Why a Nigerian grant is needed
Daily Trust's explainer (10 December 2023) sets out the position Nigerian banks take: a next of kin is not automatically entitled to a deceased customer's money, and funds are released only after probate (where there is a will) or letters of administration (where there is not). PenCom's 2023 FAQ says a deceased member's RSA balance is paid to the executors of the will or to an administrator appointed by the Probate Registry. Share registrars and land registries work on the same documents. If there is a valid will, read probate steps for an estate with Nigerian assets instead; the route is probate, not administration.
Step 1: prepare documents in Canada
The death certificate, and any Canadian marriage and birth certificates proving relationships, will be filed in a Nigerian court. Canadian documents for use abroad are authenticated or apostilled first:
- Global Affairs Canada handles federal documents and documents issued or notarised in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the territories, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan issue apostilles for their own documents.
- Ontario's official documents service authenticates Ontario vital statistics documents such as death certificates.
- GAC says that for countries that are not party to the Apostille Convention, a document may also need legalisation at that country's embassy or high commission after authentication. Whether Nigeria accepts a Canadian apostille is covered in is a Canadian apostille accepted in Nigeria?.
Family members abroad who will not travel can sign documents, such as consents or a power of attorney for a relative in Nigeria, before a notary in Canada, and have them authenticated the same way.
Step 2: the application in Lagos (example)
A practitioner's guide published on Mondaq (Tope Adebayo LP, 29 May 2024) describes the Lagos State probate registry process:
- Complete the online application, then print and sign it, with an application letter.
- Supply the death certificate and details of the estate: bank accounts, shares and property.
- Name at least two proposed administrators.
- Obtain a certificate from each bank holding the deceased's money, endorsed by that bank, confirming the balance.
- Pay the estate fees, which are a percentage of the estate's value, and the filing fees.
- Provide two sureties, each with an affidavit of means.
- Attend an interview at the registry.
- The registry publishes the application in a newspaper; 21 days are allowed for objections (caveats).
- After review by the registrar and judge, the letters of administration are issued.
The guide gives no fee percentage or overall timetable, and neither do we: the registry assesses fees on the estate's value at the time, and timelines depend on the estate and on objections. Other states run their own probate registries with their own forms.
Who can apply
The same guide lists the order of priority for administrators where there is no will: the surviving spouse, then children, parents, full siblings, half siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunts, then the Administrator-General and creditors. Family agreement on who applies saves months; a dispute at this stage usually ends in a caveat. Where the surviving spouse lives in Canada and the children are in Nigeria, one option is for an adult child in Nigeria and a relative abroad to act together, with the relative abroad signing documents through a notary and authentication rather than travelling.
Step 3: collect and distribute
With the grant, the administrators present it to each bank, the PFA and the registrars, and apply to change title at the land registry. Distribution then follows the law that governs the estate, which for Nigerian estates can include customary rules, and a lawyer should advise on it. The Nigerian library's letters of administration for a bank claim covers the bank side in more detail.
What to check first
- Confirm there is no valid will covering the Nigerian assets.
- List each Nigerian asset and the state it is in.
- Agree the two administrators within the family.
- Order certified copies of the Canadian death certificate and authenticate them.
- Instruct a Nigerian lawyer in the relevant state and agree fees in writing.
- Arrange money for the estate fees, which are payable before the grant.
Where Pryme fits
Estate fees, lawyers and publication costs are paid in naira. From a Pryme Personal account opened in Canada, family members can send naira to the lawyer's or registry's account with the rate and fee shown before approving, and keep verifiable receipts through VerifyDoc.ai so every contribution to the costs is on record. This is information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
How do I get letters of administration in Nigeria if my father died in Canada?
Apply to the probate registry of the High Court in the state where the assets are, with the authenticated Canadian death certificate, two proposed administrators, bank certificates, sureties and the estate fees.
Can next of kin collect a dead relative's money from a Nigerian bank?
Not on that basis alone. Banks release funds on probate or letters of administration.
How long do I wait for objections after the newspaper publication?
In Lagos, the practitioner's guide we cite describes 21 days for caveats after publication.
Does a Canadian death certificate need to be authenticated for Nigeria?
Yes, it should be authenticated or apostilled in Canada first, by Global Affairs Canada or the issuing province, and possibly legalised as well.
Sources
- Mondaq (Tope Adebayo LP): Issuance of letters of administration in Nigeria, a practical approach (29 May 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- Daily Trust: Why next of kin cannot access a deceased's inheritance (10 Dec 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- PenCom: Frequently asked questions, 2023 edition · accessed Oct 2026
- Global Affairs Canada: Authentication of documents, requirements (modified 26 Aug 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Ontario: Authenticate a document for use outside Canada (updated 8 Jun 2026) · 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.