At Sola Sobowale’s care home launch in Ibadan on Tuesday, an MC introduced Toyin Abraham by the surname most Nigerians know. He spoke that She asked to be called Toyin Ajeyemi, the name she took from her husband, actor Kolawole Ajeyemi. The clip has brought back a familiar question: must a Nigerian woman take her husband’s surname?
In short, no. As lawyer Christiana Longe told fact-checker Dubawa, “No law in Nigeria mandates a woman to change her name due to marriage.” The practice comes from tradition, and many families still expect it. Even so, the decision belongs to the woman. 
If You Keep Your Name
Use it the same way on all your legal, financial and personal documents. Also, keep your marriage certificate close, because some offices ask for proof of marriage. NYSC, for example, may ask for it, and so may your HMO.
Travel is another reason to carry your papers. When your surname differs from your child’s, a marriage or birth certificate can save you from awkward questions at the airport. Your family visa isn’t automatically at risk either. Lawyer Confidence Aribibia says the marriage certificate proves the marriage, and that a child’s birth certificate proves the link to the mother.
Renewing your passport shouldn’t be a problem either. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said on X in 2024 that a married woman doesn’t need her husband’s passport page or proof of his identity to renew hers.
If You Take Your Husband’s Surname
Saying it at your wedding isn’t enough. Your records need to change too.
Use this steps:
- Get your marriage certificate.
- Swear an affidavit for change of name at a High Court.
- Publish the change in a national newspaper. Some institutions also ask for a gazette notice.
- Update your bank, NIN, passport, driver’s licence and work records.
For the passport, NIS lists the newspaper publication, your marriage certificate and your husband’s passport data page or NIN slip, among other documents.
Expect the whole process to take about two to six weeks. Above all, make sure the name matches exactly everywhere, because mismatched documents can cause delays.
So whether you take his name or keep your own, the choice is yours. Just keep your documents consistent.
READ ALSO: Can a Nigerian Man Marry a Second Wife Without First Wife’s Consent? What the Law says
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