A brief overview of authentication of documents in Nigeria

Authentication of documents in Nigeria involves confirming and certifying documents issued in Nigeria by relevant authorities. HOW TO AUTHENTICATE DOCUMENTS IN NIGERIA 1. The first step is to notarize the document if it will be required to be used abroad. The notary public is usually a lawyer authorized to notarize documents. In some cases, a notary public may not be needed; it may suffice to go straight to the authentication simply. 2. The next step is to get the required document certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) headquarters in Abuja for authentication. The applicant may also instruct an attorney to represent him/her at the MFA if he/she is not within the country or cannot personally make it to Abuja. The applicant must pay the prescribed fee at the bank and submit proof of payment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the document required to be authenticated. 3. The Ministry will carry out their necessary confirmation and due diligence before authenticating the documents if they are found to be genuine. In some instances, the MFA may require additional confirmation from the authority that issued the document before it can be authenticated. An academic document must first be attested by the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja before it can be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for authentication. #law #lawyer #lawfirm #lawyerinnigeria #legalservices #attorney #nigeria