How To Register A Marriage In Nigeria: Step By Step Guide 


This article contains all the information on how you can easily register
your court wedding marriage according to civil law.

A court wedding or registry marriage is usually registered at a registry and this can be found in all the 36 states in Nigeria.

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This occasion is usually witnessed by both family and friends. 
Listed below is the how to register your marriage in Nigeria. 

Court Wedding In Nigeria

Actually there is nothing like a ''court marriage'',what we have is ''registry marriage or 'marriage under the act'.

But because this is already a popular misconception,we will still be using the term ''court wedding'' in this post because most Nigerians are already familiar with the term. 

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And also for the non legal folks,The court does not have the right to 'wed' or 'join together' in holy matrimony of anyone. The court only has the legal power to dissolve a marriage,handle issue of marriage (e.g divorce, legal separation), issues of settlement or other legal remedies in and out of marriage. 

The proper place for the celebration of marriage is a Registry or a Licensed place of Worship.


How To Register A Marriage In Nigeria : Step By Step Guide
  • 1. The first step to registering a marriage is to fill a form called the form A/ Notice Form or Letter of Marriage Intention and payment of a fee of N2,000 Naira only. 
  • 2. This form captures all your personal details,attach two colored passport photographs.  
  • 3. Minors under the age of 18 are expected to attach a letter of consent. 
  • 4. The registry then displays the Notice Form on a notice board at the registry for 21 days. 
  • Afterwards provided the following criteria are met, another form called the Form C will be issued  by the registrar. 
  • 5. Before signing the form C,the following criteria has to be met: 

(a) Evidence of consent in the case of minors.
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(b) A divorcee must produce a divorce certificate, while a widow or a widower is required to present the death certificate of the late spouse.

(c) That one of the parties has been resident within the district in which the marriage will take place.

Read Also: Nigerian Traditional Wedding Requirements 

(d) Absence of any lawful hindrance to the wedding.
That either of the two parties is not married to someone else under customary law.

(e) Birth certificates or official documents showing the ages of the couple are required together with the results of HIV and genotype tests.


  • 5. Afterwards it will be time for the taking of oath,which involves the swearing an affidavit before the registrar,the penalties involved in case of a bridge of the marriage are then explained to the couple.
  • 6. The Registrar will the proceed to sign the affidavit as a symbol of the oath taking.
See Also: 20 Causes Of Broken Marriages & Relationships 
  • 7. Afterwards the Registrar/Minister will issue a certificate called the form D which grants permission to the couple to celebrate their union.
  • 8. A date for the marriage celebration is then chosen by the couple and it must be within three months of placing the notice at the registry. The marriage ceremony might 
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  • take place either in a church or at the Registry Office.However if the couple decide to go to a church,it must be a licensed church under the leadership of an authorized cleric. The couple is expected to have at least two witnesses.
  • 9. After the marriage ceremony is overcome,the cleric fills the marriage certificate in two copies and will write down its number, date of the marriage registration, names of couple and witnesses after being signed by the cleric,spouses and witnesses. 
  • After that,the couple will take one of the copies of the marriage certificate. The second one is sent to the local Registry Office. 
See Also: How To Prepare For Marriage In Nigeria 

In Conclusion:

Marriage is a beautiful thing,at first everything might seem to be perfect and going right but in some cases,the love might turn to hate which will eventually result in divorce. 
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There is also a misconception about court wedding in Nigeria which stipulates that when a couple divorce,the woman will take away all the property of the man. 

This is however not so true,the court marriage system will favor the woman if Issues of compensation arises such as children to support, joint properties Etc 

But regardless of this,most Nigerian men will still be suspicious,when the woman they want to marry insist on court marriage.




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