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The short answer
Nigerian banks generally accept a recent utility bill or bank statement in your name as proof of an address abroad; Access Bank, for example, asks for one dated within three months, or a banker’s confirmation, notarised if sent by email. In Spain that usually means a Spanish utility bill or bank statement, with your passport and TIE as identity and residence evidence.
Your Nigerian bank still has your Lagos or Abuja address on file, but you now live in Valencia. Banks are required to keep customer information current, and an out-of-date address can lead to restrictions when the bank reviews your account. This guide explains what to send and how.
Why the bank needs your Spanish address
Know-your-customer (KYC) rules require banks to know where their customers live and to keep that information up to date. For Nigerians abroad, the address also decides which account type fits you: the CBN’s framework for Non-Resident Nigerian Ordinary and Investment Accounts, summarised by Mondaq, asks for proof of Nigerian status, a utility bill, proof of profession or source of income and, for US-based customers, FATCA forms.
Documents Nigerian banks describe
We use Access Bank as a worked example because it publishes its diaspora requirements; other banks’ lists are similar but check your own bank’s.
| Requirement | Access Bank (Diaspora Banking FAQ and Account Management Form) |
|---|---|
| Identity | Nigerian passport, or a foreign passport with proof of Nigerian origin, or a Nigerian driver’s licence |
| Residence abroad | Passport plus visa or a notarised residence permit |
| Proof of address | Banker’s confirmation, or a utility, bank or credit card statement, within three months |
| Certification | IDs, statements and utility bills notarised when sent by scan |
| Sending | Scans by email, with an indemnity form for email instructions; originals by courier at the customer’s cost |
Which Spanish documents to use
- A utility bill (electricity, gas, water or internet) in your name at your Spanish address, dated within the bank’s window.
- A Spanish bank statement showing your name and address.
- Your TIE (foreigner identity card) as the residence permit, alongside your Nigerian passport.
- A certificado de empadronamiento (town hall registration certificate) is official evidence of where you are registered in Spain. Nigerian banks do not list it by name, so ask before relying on it alone; our guide to registering on the padrón in Madrid explains how to get one.
If you share a flat and bills are in a landlord’s or flatmate’s name, a Spanish bank statement is often the easiest document that carries your own name and address.
Watch the dates. A bill or statement that was recent when you scanned it may be outside a three-month window by the time the bank reviews it, especially if originals travel by courier. Send the most recent document you have, and if the bank asks again later, send a newer one rather than resubmitting the old copy.
Notarising and language
Where a bank asks for notarised copies, a Spanish notary can certify that a copy matches the original. Spanish documents are in Spanish; ask the bank whether it needs a translation, since a utility bill’s name and address are usually clear without one. If the bank asks for an apostille as well, see apostilling Spanish documents for Nigeria.
Steps
- Ask your bank, through its official channels, which form it uses for an address update and whether it accepts email.
- Collect a recent Spanish proof of address, your passport data page and your TIE.
- Have copies notarised if required.
- Complete and sign the bank’s update form and any indemnity for email instructions.
- Send the scans from the email address the bank holds for you, and keep the acknowledgement.
- Check in the app or on a statement that the address has changed.
Also update your phone number and BVN record
Many restrictions come from a phone number that no longer receives SMS, rather than the address. Ask the bank how to change the phone number linked to your BVN from abroad. Our Nigeria-side guide to the NRBVN for Nigerians abroad explains the non-resident BVN.
If you leave it out of date
Banks review customer records periodically. When an address, ID or phone number is out of date, a bank may ask you to update it before it allows certain transactions, and an account you rarely use may also drift towards dormancy. The practical effect is that money you need in a hurry, for a funeral or a hospital bill at home, is stuck while you gather documents from Spain. Updating once, while nothing is urgent, avoids that.
Should you switch account type?
If you now live permanently in Spain, ask your bank whether a diaspora or Non-Resident Nigerian account suits you better than the resident account you opened at home. The CBN framework summarised by Mondaq describes NRNOA accounts for remitting foreign earnings and managing foreign currency and naira for personal needs, and NRNIA accounts for investing in Nigerian markets, with different rules on repatriating balances. Switching is a separate request with its own documents, but the same Spanish proof of address and TIE will usually serve for both.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account is opened from any country, with your current address abroad recorded from the start, and uses an authenticator app rather than SMS codes for security. See open an account.
Questions people ask
What proof of address do Nigerian banks accept from abroad?
Usually a recent utility bill or bank statement in your name, or a banker’s confirmation. Access Bank asks for documents within three months, notarised if sent by scan.
Can I use my empadronamiento as proof of address for a Nigerian bank?
It is official Spanish evidence of registration at an address, but Nigerian banks do not list it by name. Ask your bank, and send a utility bill or bank statement as well.
Do I need to notarise documents for my Nigerian bank?
Some banks ask for notarised copies when documents are sent by email. A Spanish notary can certify copies.
Can I update my Nigerian bank address without travelling home?
Many banks accept a signed form and documents by email or courier. Use the bank’s official channels and keep the acknowledgement.
Sources
- Access Bank: Diaspora Banking FAQs · accessed Oct 2026
- Access Bank: Account Management Request Form · accessed Oct 2026
- Mondaq: CBN operational framework for NRNOA and NRNIA accounts (22 May 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.