Most Nigerian adults do not have a will, not because they lack assets worth protecting, but because the process feels vague, expensive, or simply like something to deal with later. In reality, writing a valid will in Nigeria is a well-defined process that most people can complete in a single sitting with a lawyer.
This is general information, not legal advice. Speak to a lawyer licensed in your state for guidance specific to your estate.
Step 1: Confirm you are legally eligible to make a will
Under Nigerian law, rooted in the Wills Act and various state Wills Laws, you must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind to make a valid will. Being "of sound mind" simply means you understand what a will is, broadly what you own, and who would reasonably expect to benefit from your estate.
Step 2: List everything you own
Before drafting anything, write down every asset you hold: bank accounts, land and property, mobile money wallets, crypto, investments, vehicles, and business stakes. This list is the single most important input into your will, and the part families most often discover was never done properly, regardless of how well the legal document itself was drafted.
Step 3: Decide who inherits what, and name an executor
Decide clearly who should receive each asset, and name an executor, the person legally responsible for carrying out your wishes after you die. Many people choose a trusted family member or a lawyer, or both jointly. Whoever you choose should know in advance and agree to the role.
Step 4: Put it in writing, signed and witnessed correctly
A valid will must be in writing, signed by you, and witnessed by at least two people present at the same time, neither of whom can be a beneficiary under the will. Getting the witnessing wrong is one of the most common reasons a will is later challenged or ruled invalid, which is why most people use a lawyer for this step even if they draft the content themselves.
Step 5: Store it somewhere your family can actually find it
A perfectly valid will that nobody can locate after you die is functionally the same as having no will at all. Tell your executor and next of kin exactly where it is kept, whether that is with your lawyer, in a bank safe deposit box, or another secure location.
Common mistakes that undo an otherwise valid will
- Using a beneficiary as one of the two required witnesses, which can invalidate that beneficiary's inheritance.
- Writing a will once and never updating it as your assets, marriage, or family situation changes.
- Listing assets vaguely ("my properties") instead of specifically, which creates room for dispute.
- Telling no one where the will is kept.
How Remayn helps
Remayn does not draft or replace your will, that remains a lawyer's job. What Remayn solves is Step 2 and Step 5 done properly: a complete, encrypted, continuously updated record of everything you own, and a guarantee that your named next of kin actually receives it when it matters, rather than discovering your will exists but not what it was supposed to cover.
