Why Changing Your Name in Nigeria May Never Be the Same Again

For many Nigerians, a name is far more than a means of identification. It is a reflection of family heritage, culture, faith and personal history. Yet, changing that identity has long been regarded as a straightforward administrative process.

For decades, the accepted route was simple: obtain a court affidavit, publish a notice in a national newspaper, and proceed to update official records with various institutions. Whether prompted by marriage, religious conversion, adoption, personal preference or the need to harmonise discrepancies across official documents, millions of Nigerians relied on this method without questioning its legal sufficiency.

However, that long-standing practice is now facing a major shift.

A landmark judgment of the Supreme Court in the 2021 PDP v. Degi-Eremienyo case has clarified that affidavits and newspaper publications alone do not legally effect a change of name on official records. Instead, the apex court held that a valid name change must be supported by a Deed Poll, approved by the relevant issuing authority and published in the Official Gazette.

The decision is expected to significantly reshape how Nigerians alter their identities on government records and could eventually render the traditional affidavit-and-newspaper process obsolete.

Why Nigerians Change Their Names

Name changes are common in Nigeria for several reasons. Marriage remains one of the leading factors, particularly for women adopting their spouses’ surnames. Others seek corrections to harmonise discrepancies between academic records such as WAEC and UTME certificates, National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), passports, pension records and bank accounts.

Religious conversion, cultural realignment, adoption and personal preference also motivate many citizens to seek official recognition of new identities.

Until now, many assumed that an affidavit accompanied by a newspaper publication automatically legalised the new name nationwide.

Legal experts and government officials, however, argue that the practice created loopholes that exposed public institutions to identity fraud, document manipulation and inconsistent records.

Supreme Court Clarifies the Law

The legal clarification emerged from litigation arising from the Bayelsa State governorship election.

The dispute centred on allegations that false information had been supplied in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Form CF001 submitted by the APC governorship candidate.

Although the Federal High Court initially disqualified the candidate and his running mate under Section 31(6) of the Electoral Act, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision.

When the matter reached the Supreme Court, the apex court affirmed the Court of Appeal’s judgment but also seized the opportunity to clarify the lawful procedure for changing names on official documents.

According to the court, affidavits and newspaper publications, while useful as supporting documents, do not by themselves alter official records. The legally recognised process requires three critical steps: execution of a Deed Poll, approval by the authority responsible for the affected record and publication in the Official Gazette.

The court further observed that the clarified procedure affects official records maintained by government institutions, including those under the National Population Commission (NPC) and the National Civil Registry.

What the New Process Requires

Under the procedure outlined by the Supreme Court, an individual seeking to change a name must first engage a qualified lawyer to prepare a Deed Poll bearing the lawyer’s official seal.

Once signed, the Deed Poll becomes a legally binding declaration of the person’s intention to abandon the former name and adopt a new one for all legal purposes.

The applicant is then expected to write an application addressed to the Chairman of the National Population Commission and submit both the signed Deed Poll and application letter to the Commission’s Legal Department.

At present, such applications are processed through the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

NPC Moves Toward Digital Processing

While the Supreme Court judgment has sparked widespread discussions, the National Population Commission is already working on modernising the process.

Officials familiar with the project disclosed that the Commission is developing a fully digitised platform that will allow applicants to process name changes online.

According to one official, the previous analogue system built around affidavits and newspaper publications was susceptible to manipulation and document falsification.

The proposed digital process is expected to require applicants to upload a lawyer-prepared Deed Poll through an online portal, after which the Commission will process the application, publish the necessary gazette documentation and issue an official certificate confirming the name change.

Although July 1 had initially been projected as the commencement date for the digital system, officials say implementation is still awaiting final directives from the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

State offices, including Lagos, are reportedly on standby pending the release of operational guidelines.

Another Commission official, who also spoke anonymously, explained that the online platform would clearly spell out every requirement and procedure once it becomes operational.

The official stressed that the digitisation initiative is intended to improve verification processes, eliminate fake documents and strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s identity management system.

Experts Welcome the Reform

Technology, privacy and human rights advocate, Mr. Chukwuemeka Dike, described the Supreme Court’s clarification as a significant step toward protecting personal identity.

According to him, a person’s name is one of the most important forms of personally identifiable information and deserves stronger legal protection.

He explained that while affidavits merely record sworn statements, a Deed Poll represents a binding legal declaration by an individual and therefore provides greater certainty and authenticity in identity management.

Dike argued that the new procedure would not only enhance confidence in official records but also reduce opportunities for identity fraud.

A New Era for Identity Management

Although many Nigerians continue to rely on affidavits and newspaper publications when changing their names, the Supreme Court’s judgment signals a transition to a more structured legal framework.

With the National Population Commission preparing to digitise the process, the country appears to be moving toward a unified system designed to strengthen identity verification, safeguard official records and curb document fraud.

If fully implemented, the reforms could mark the end of an era in which newspaper publications and affidavits alone were widely regarded as sufficient proof of a legal name change.

naijaacrossborders.com