Letters of Administration in Nigeria: How to Apply

When someone dies without a valid Will in Nigeria, their bank accounts are frozen, their property cannot be transferred, and their pension benefits cannot be claimed — until the High Court grants Letters of Administration to a qualified administrator. This is not optional. Without this court order, the estate is legally vested in the Chief Judge of the state, and no family member has authority to act.

Here is exactly how to apply, what documents you need, and what the process costs.

Who Can Apply

The Probate Registry follows a strict priority hierarchy for intestate estates:

1. Surviving spouse — has first priority
2. Adult children of the deceased
3. Parents of the deceased
4. Siblings of the deceased
5. Other next of kin in descending order of relationship

Joint applications are common and often advisable — a surviving spouse and one or two adult children applying together strengthens the application and reduces the risk of family objections.

Minors cannot hold a grant. If all the deceased's children are under 18, a guardian or the Administrator-General and Public Trustee (AGPT) must apply on their behalf.

Required Documents

You will need to complete a set of prescribed forms issued by the Probate Registry:

• Application for Grant of Letters of Administration — identifies the applicants and their relationship to the deceased
• Oath of Administration — formal acceptance of the legal duties and personal liabilities of administration
• Administration Bond — financial guarantee for proper management of the estate
• Declaration as to Next of Kin — lists all surviving relatives entitled to inherit
• Inventory of Assets — detailed list of all real and personal property
• Particulars of Landed Property — specifics of any real estate holdings
• Schedule of Debts and Funeral Expenses — all outstanding liabilities
• Sureties' Application and Justification — identifies guarantors who accept personal liability if the estate is mismanaged

Beyond the forms, you must also provide:

• NPC death certificate (not just the hospital medical certificate)
• Passport photographs of all applicants and sureties
• Valid government-issued ID (NIN, international passport, or driver's license)
• Proof of relationship (birth certificates, marriage certificate)

The Application Process

Step 1: File Online (Lagos Example)

In Lagos State, applications go through the Lagos Automated Probate Registry System (LAPRS) at probate.lagosjudiciary.gov.ng. Create an account, search the database to confirm no prior application exists, and upload your documents.

Other states may have their own portals or require physical filing at the Probate Registry of the State High Court.

Step 2: Bank Certificate Process

After your initial filing, the registry issues a paper Bank Certificate. You must physically take this form to every bank where the deceased held accounts. Each bank verifies the account balance, writes the closing figure on the form, and stamps it. You then return the completed certificate to the registry's valuation unit.

This step is manual and time-consuming — expect to spend days visiting bank branches.

Step 3: Asset Valuation

For real estate, the state's Valuation Office schedules physical inspections of each property. Valuers assess current market value, which the registry uses to calculate fees.

Step 4: Estate Duty Payment

The registry calculates the estate duty based on the total assessed value. In Lagos, this is 10% of the gross estate value. This fee must be paid before the process moves forward.

Step 5: Interview

All proposed administrators and sureties attend a physical interview at the Probate Registry. Officers verify identities, confirm family relationships, and assess whether the sureties have sufficient financial standing to cover the estate's value.

Step 6: Newspaper Publication

The registry publishes the application in a national newspaper. This opens a 21-day caveat window during which any interested party can file a formal objection. A filed caveat halts everything until the dispute is resolved by the High Court.

Step 7: Grant Issuance

If no objections are filed, the file goes to the Probate Judge. Upon approval, the Letters of Administration are sealed and issued.

How Much Does It Cost?

The major cost is the estate duty — 10% of the assessed estate value in Lagos State. On a ₦50 million estate, that is ₦5 million before any other expenses.

Additional costs include newspaper publication fees, valuation fees, and any legal fees if you engage a lawyer for the application. Professional legal representation for a non-contentious probate matter typically runs ₦300,000 to ₦500,000 or more, though many families handle the administrative steps themselves and only engage a lawyer for the formal oath-signing.

How Long Does It Take?

For uncontested applications: 6 to 12 months in Lagos. The biggest delays come from document discrepancies (name mismatches between the death certificate and bank records), incomplete asset inventories that require additional valuation rounds, and the 21-day caveat window.

If a caveat is filed, the timeline extends indefinitely — contested estates can take years to resolve through High Court litigation.

What the Grant Unlocks

With Letters of Administration in hand, you can:

• Unfreeze and access the deceased's bank accounts
• File pension claims with PenCom-regulated Pension Fund Administrators
• Transfer real estate through the Governor's Consent process
• Settle outstanding debts and distribute assets to heirs

The Nigeria Estate Settlement Guide walks through every step from the initial application through final asset distribution, including the exact forms, fee schedules, and agency contacts for each stage of the process.

Guide to Estate Settlement and Inheritance in Nigeria →