Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigerians can apply for affidavits online through the Federal High Court’s Electronic Court Management System (ECMS) e-Affidavit Client Portal, reducing the need for physical visits to court premises for eligible services.
The Federal High Court says the web-based platform was developed to digitise and simplify affidavit processing for the public, legal practitioners and government agencies. It allows users to submit applications remotely, track their progress, make payments and receive completed affidavits electronically.
The portal is accessible through the Federal High Court’s ECMS platform.
How to apply for an e-Affidavit
- Create an account
Applicants first register on the Federal High Court portal using their full name, phone number, date of birth, email address and password.
The name supplied should be the name the applicant wants reflected on the affidavit.
After registration, applicants log in and select the affidavit module.
- Complete the affidavit profile
Applicants must provide information required for their affidavit profile, including residential address, occupation, National Identification Number, state and country of origin, gender, religion and date of birth.
The portal also requires a passport photograph and identification document.
Applicants are advised to ensure that all information supplied is accurate before saving the profile.
- Select the affidavit type
The portal provides different affidavit services, including change and correction of name, declaration of age, correction of date of birth, loss of documents, next of kin, guardianship, verification of address, state of origin and marriage-related affidavits.
Other categories cover banking matters, ownership, sponsorship, affidavit of means, academic documents and certain institutional purposes.
- Complete the application
After selecting an affidavit, applicants complete the relevant online form.
The information required depends on the type of affidavit selected.
For example, an application to correct a date of birth requires the applicant to provide the incorrect date, the correct date and the reason for the correction.
Applicants are also required to provide contact details and select a preferred Federal High Court division.
- Upload supporting documents
Applicants may be required to upload a recent passport photograph, valid identification and a signature.
The portal accepts identification documents including a National Identification Number, international passport, driver’s licence and voter’s card.
Applicants should follow the portal’s specifications for uploaded files.
- Preview the application
Before submission, applicants should use the preview function to check their personal details, affidavit information, contact details and selected court.
This stage is important because the portal states that payments are final, non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Accept the terms and submit
Applicants must agree to the platform’s terms and conditions and consent to the processing of their personal data before submitting the application.
The Federal High Court says its e-Affidavit service operates under applicable data-protection requirements. Its privacy policy states that personal information is collected to process applications and verify applicants.
- Pay the required fee
Applicants can pay electronically through the payment options provided by the portal, including Paystack and Remita.
The fee displayed depends on the selected service. Applicants should therefore confirm the amount shown for their particular application before payment.
- Download the completed affidavit
After processing and approval, the completed affidavit can be downloaded through the portal. The court’s e-Affidavit system also provides digital certification and verification features.
The Federal High Court says its e-Affidavit service includes application tracking, secure payments, digital notarisation and electronic document management.
The court also states that applicants whose applications are queried for additional information or documents must respond within the specified period. Its portal terms state that unresolved queries and incomplete applications may be deleted without refund after the applicable period.
Applicants should carefully review all information before submitting an application and retain their application and payment details for reference.
The digital service forms part of the Federal High Court’s broader effort to expand online judicial services and reduce physical barriers to accessing court-related services.
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