Personal identity is a core concern for millions in Nigeria, making the process of altering an official name a significant legal task. Citizens frequently update their names due to marriage, relocation, or to ensure their credentials match records held by organizations like WAEC, UTME, and the National Identification Number system. Financial institutions also require updated documentation to align bank accounts and pension profiles with a user’s current identity. Historically, many relied solely on court affidavits and newspaper notices to finalize these changes.
However, the Supreme Court, in the 2021 case of PDP versus Degi-Eremienyo, established that these informal methods are insufficient for legal name modification. The court ruled that valid changes must involve a Deed Poll prepared by a legal professional, approval from the issuing authority, and a formal publication in the Official Gazette. This transition aims to prevent identity fraud and ensure records held by the National Population Commission remain secure and accurate.
The National Population Commission is currently transitioning to a digitized system to replace the outdated manual process. Officials indicate that this new online portal will require a lawyer-drafted Deed Poll, which will then be processed to issue an official certificate of name change. While the commission works to finalize the digital framework, they emphasize that this move is essential for eliminating the prevalence of fraudulent documents that previously undermined the integrity of official records.
