Nigeria is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention — Not a party to the Apostille Convention (absent from HCCH status table as of 2026-06-30); embassy legalization required.. An apostille will not be accepted. U.S. documents must be authenticated and then legalized: state authentication certificate (for state documents), U.S. Department of State authentication, and legalization at Nigeria's embassy or consulate in the United States.
The route, step by step
- State authentication (state documents)
Request an authentication certificate from the state competent authority, naming Nigeria as the destination.
- U.S. Department of State authentication
Submit the state-certified or federal document to the Office of Authentications with Form DS-4194 and $20 per document.
- Legalization at the Nigeria embassy or consulate
Embassy of Nigeria, Consular Section, 3519 International Court NW, Washington DC, after US Dept of State authentication. Fee not published for general documents; passport authentication is $50 money order, ~7 working days.
- Translation
Confirm whether Nigeria requires a translation and at which stage.
Using U.S. documents in Nigeria
Nigeria is not listed as a Contracting Party on the HCCH status table, so the route for U.S. documents is authentication by the state (for state documents) and the U.S. Department of State, followed by legalization at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C. (or the consulates in New York and Atlanta). Nigerian authorities — the Corporate Affairs Commission, courts, universities and the Nigeria Immigration Service — generally require the embassy’s legalization stamp. Typical documents: corporate documents and POAs for company registration, birth, marriage and death certificates for citizenship, inheritance and NIN/passport matters, degrees for employment, and affidavits for court proceedings. English documents need no translation. Confirm the current status on the HCCH table and with the embassy before filing, as Nigeria’s implementation is evolving.
Why U.S. documents are sent to Nigeria
- marriage in Nigeria
- property and inheritance (power of attorney)
- business registration (CAC)
- education
- Nigerian citizenship/registration of children
Nigeria-specific points
- Non-Hague: notarize/state-certify, then US Dept of State authentication certificate (Form DS-4194, $20/doc, ~4 weeks by mail), then legalization at the destination country's embassy/consulate.
- Drop-off/collection at the DC embassy Mon-Thu 11:00-12:30.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an apostille or legalization for Nigeria?
Legalization. Nigeria is not a Hague member; U.S. documents need the state (if applicable) and U.S. Department of State authentications followed by Nigeria embassy legalization.
Who issues the apostille for Nigeria?
There is no apostille. The final stamp comes from Nigeria’s embassy or consulate after U.S. authentication.
Does Nigeria require a translation?
Requirements vary by the receiving authority in Nigeria; translate after the apostille with the translator type they specify.
