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The short answer
In Nigeria, being named next of kin does not by itself let you inherit: banks and registries release a deceased relative's assets only on a grant of probate (where there is a will) or letters of administration (where there is none). What you prove is your relationship and your place in the order of priority, using the death certificate, birth and marriage certificates, and affidavits, which can be sworn abroad before a notary or at a Nigerian mission.
When a parent or sibling dies in Nigeria, families abroad are often told to "bring proof that you are next of kin". The phrase hides two separate questions. The first is whether you are the person the deceased named as next of kin on an account or pension form. The second, which matters far more, is whether you are an heir and entitled to apply for the grant that releases the estate. This guide explains which documents answer each question and how to get them from abroad.
Next of kin is not the same as heir
A Daily Trust explainer (December 2023) set out the position: the person named as next of kin on a bank account is not automatically entitled to inherit, no Nigerian framework recognises "payable on death" accounts, and estate funds are released only on probate or letters of administration. The Nigeria-side detail is in why next of kin does not inherit a bank account.
So the practical aim is not a "next of kin certificate". It is a file that lets the probate registry of the relevant state High Court see who the deceased was, that he or she has died, who the surviving relatives are, and which of them should administer the estate.
Who comes first
A May 2024 Mondaq practice note on the Lagos probate process gives the usual order of priority for administrators where there is no will:
- Surviving spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Full brothers and sisters
- Half brothers and sisters
- Grandparents
- Uncles and aunts
- The Administrator-General and creditors
The same note says at least two administrators are nominated, with sureties who swear affidavits of means. Your documents need to show where you sit in this order and that the others with an equal or better claim agree. Other states apply similar principles under their own rules; customary and Islamic law can also affect who inherits, which is a question for a lawyer in the state concerned.
The documents that prove the relationship
| What you must show | Usual document | Notes from the sources |
|---|---|---|
| The person has died | NPC death certificate, or a medical certificate of death | The US State Department's Nigeria page says the NPC registers deaths free and does not issue certified copies; for older deaths a medical certificate or sworn declaration is the alternative |
| You are the child | Your birth certificate naming the deceased as parent | An NPC certificate, or for people born abroad the foreign birth certificate; differences in spelling need an explanation |
| You are the spouse | Marriage certificate | Customary marriages often have no written record; the State Department notes local government registration after a court affidavit |
| You are a sibling or other relative | Birth certificates linking both of you to a common parent | Where records are missing, families use sworn statements from older relatives |
| Others agree | Consent or renunciation affidavits | Each relative with an equal claim who will not act swears one |
| Who you are | Passport or other photo ID | PenCom's death-benefit procedure, for example, lists the next of kin's ID (driving licence, national ID or passport) |
For a death certificate obtained from abroad, see getting a relative's death certificate from abroad.
Swearing affidavits from abroad
Much of a next-of-kin file is sworn evidence: affidavits of relationship, consents, explanations of name differences. Section 110 of the Evidence Act 2011, as summarised in a 2014 Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada report, allows an affidavit sworn outside Nigeria to be used in Nigerian courts if it is sworn before a judge or magistrate (authenticated by the court seal or a notary public), or before a duly authorised officer at a Nigerian embassy, high commission or consulate. The same report notes that personal appearance before the person administering the oath is generally expected.
Ask your Nigerian lawyer to draft the affidavit wording, so it matches what the registry expects, then swear it locally. The full route is in affidavits sworn abroad for use in Nigeria.
Pension and other claims
Some assets have their own rules. PenCom's 2023 FAQ says a deceased worker's retirement savings account balance is paid to the executors of the will or to the administrator appointed by the probate registry, so the grant is still needed. Its older death-benefits procedure (2009) lists a medical certificate of death, the registration certificate if available, a police report for accidental deaths, letters of administration or the will admitted to probate, the deceased's nomination of next of kin, and the next of kin's ID. Here the nomination form matters, but alongside the grant, not in place of it.
Steps for heirs abroad
- Agree as a family who will act as administrators, ideally with at least one person in Nigeria.
- Instruct a lawyer in the state where the deceased lived or held most assets, and ask for the registry's current checklist and estate fee scale.
- Gather certificates: the death certificate, each claimant's birth certificate, and any marriage certificate.
- List every name variation across the documents and prepare one affidavit explaining them.
- Swear consents, relationship affidavits and name affidavits before a notary or at the Nigerian mission where you live.
- Courier originals to the lawyer with tracking and keep scanned copies.
- Follow the application through the interview and newspaper notice stage; see letters of administration from abroad.
Where Pryme fits
Registry fees, lawyers and courier costs in Nigeria are paid in naira. With a Pryme Personal Account you can hold pounds, dollars or euros and convert with Swap, which shows the rate and the fee before you approve, and keep a receipt for each payment for the estate file.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
How do I prove I am next of kin in Nigeria?
Through documents that show your relationship to the deceased (birth or marriage certificates), the death certificate, and sworn affidavits, filed with the probate registry in an application for letters of administration or probate.
Can the next of kin collect a dead person's bank money in Nigeria?
Not on that basis alone. A Daily Trust explainer said banks need probate or letters of administration before releasing a deceased customer's funds.
Can I swear a next of kin affidavit in the UK or US?
Yes. Section 110 of the Evidence Act allows affidavits sworn abroad before a notary, judge or magistrate, or an authorised officer at a Nigerian mission.
Who has the first right to administer an estate in Lagos?
A 2024 Lagos practitioners' guide lists the spouse first, then children, parents, full siblings, half siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunts.
Sources
- Daily Trust: Why next of kin cannot access a deceased's inheritance (10 Dec 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- Mondaq: Issuance of letters of administration in Nigeria, a practical approach (29 May 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- IRB Canada: Nigeria affidavits, RIR NGA104978.E (4 Nov 2014), via ecoi.net · accessed Oct 2026
- US Department of State: Nigeria reciprocity and civil documents · accessed Oct 2026
- PenCom: Frequently asked questions (2023 edition) · accessed Oct 2026
- PenCom: Procedure for processing death benefits, PenCom/DG/09/016/2 (30 Apr 2009) · 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.