How to obtain a Letter of Administration in Lagos State, Nigeria

A letter of administration is a document issued by the Probate court which gives a person or persons known as administrator or administratrix, the authority to deal with a deceased person’s estate. It is a document issued to a person who will administer the estate of someone who dies without a will.

The letter of administration is granted upon application by a person entitled either personally or through his legal practitioner to the probate registry. For Lagos state, this could be either Lagos or Ikeja probate registry, depending on where the deceased’s properties are located.

The application for the grant of Letter of Administration should be made within three (3) months from the death of the testator where he died intestate.

According to the Administration of Estates Law of Lagos, the order of priority of persons who could be granted letters of administration are as follows:

• Spouses married under the Matrimonial Causes Act.
• Spouses married under the Customary Law.
• Parents of the deceased.
• Full-siblings of the deceased.
• Grandparents of the deceased.
• Uncles and Aunts of the deceased.
• Administrator General of the state (where all above fail).
• Creditors of the deceased.

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION IN LAGOS

1. Application letter for the letters of administration addressed to the Probate registrar: This letter will usually contain the following;

i. The name of the proposed administrators as it is on their means of identification, their relationship to the deceased, address and phone number.

ii.Last known address of the deceased.

Attached to this letter, are the following documents:

i. The list of the properties of the deceased and address (where it is government owned, it should be stated).

ii. Photocopies of the means of identification of the proposed administrators.

iii. Original copy of the death certificate for sighting only, and the photocopies for submission.

2. Administration Forms are to be obtained after the application has been approved, including a bank certificate. This bank certificate is to be taken to the banks in which the deceased had his accounts domiciled (both Naira and domiciliary accounts), this is to know the last balance in the bank, which is to be stamped and signed by the bank officials. The Administrators are to sign on all pages of the forms.
3. Assessment and Publication: The assessment fee is 10% of total money in the bank which is called estate fee. When the publication fee is paid, this allows the public or any interested person the opportunity to object and file a caveat to the grant of letters of administration to the applicants. It is open for objection for 21 working days.
4. Sureties: The Administrators are to provide two sureties. One that has landed documents with a valid means of identification and passport photograph. Then the second one with 6 months statement of account, valid ID card and passport photograph.
5. Interview: An interview will be scheduled at the Probate registry for the administrators to confirm whether the details provided in the application are true.
6. Minutes and Order stage: After the publication, the files move to the probate judge for the signing.
7. Final stage: The administrative staffs carry out due diligence checks on all the files received for any errors. Where there is none, then it moves to the chief registrar for final signature. Thereafter, the letters of administration become open for collection by the administrators.

The timeline for this application is about six months.

Team 618 Bees

618 Bees can quickly and easily help you process your application for Letters of Administration at the Lagos State Probate Registry. Log on to our website www.618bees.com or email hello@618bees.com, or give us a call on +2349017190079/08080819653. 618 Bees will complete your application with the Probate Registry.

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