If a Nigerian customer, distributor, borrower or tenant owes you money, you can instruct our debt recovery lawyers directly. We are a Nigerian law firm with offices in Lekki, Lagos and Wuse 2, Abuja, and we act on debt claims against debtors throughout Nigeria. The lawyers who write to the debtor are the same lawyers who file in court and enforce the judgment, so nothing is lost between stages and you always know who is handling your file.
Who our debt recovery lawyers act for
- Foreign suppliers, exporters and service providers owed money by Nigerian buyers
- Banks, microfinance banks, fintech and digital lenders recovering loans and credit facilities
- Businesses with unpaid invoices and trade debts
- Landlords recovering rent arrears, alongside recovery of possession
- Individuals owed money under loans, contracts or settlement agreements
Our debt recovery process
For a step-by-step explanation of the law, read our guide on how to recover a debt in Nigeria.
1. Review of your claim
You send us the contract, invoices, statement of account and correspondence. We confirm the claim, check the limitation period (generally six years for simple contract debts in Lagos and the FCT), identify the debtor correctly and assess whether it can pay.
2. Letter of demand
We send a formal demand from the firm setting out the debt, interest and a deadline. Many debtors pay or propose terms at this stage, and the letter is also a required pre-action step for most claims in Lagos.
3. Negotiated settlement
Where the debtor proposes instalments, we document the settlement so that any default can be enforced quickly. See mediation and ADR.
4. Court action
If the debtor does not pay, we use the fastest procedure available for the claim:
- Undefended list in the FCT High Court, for liquidated money claims where the debtor has no real defence
- Summary judgment in the Lagos State High Court, which avoids a full trial where there is no genuine defence
- Small claims procedures in Lagos and the FCT for lower-value debts
- Full proceedings for disputed or complex claims; see commercial litigation and breach of contract claims
- Arbitration where the contract requires it; see arbitration
5. Protecting assets
Where a debtor may move or hide assets, we can apply for urgent freezing orders. See injunctions and urgent court orders.
6. Enforcement
A judgment only matters if it is paid. We use garnishee proceedings against the debtor's bank accounts, writs of attachment and sale, and charging orders. See enforcement of judgments.
7. Insolvency options
Against a company that cannot or will not pay an undisputed debt, a winding-up petition can be an effective option. See receivership and insolvency.
Debt recovery lawyers in Lagos
Our Lagos office is in Lekki, and most of our debt recovery work is filed in the Lagos courts. Lagos is where most Nigerian companies, banks and distributors are based, so it is usually where a debtor can be sued and its assets found.
- Pre-action protocol. The Lagos High Court requires a claimant to show that it made a formal demand and tried to settle before filing. Our letter of demand is drafted to satisfy this step, so your claim is not delayed.
- Summary judgment. For a debt with no genuine defence, we apply for summary judgment in the Lagos State High Court, which avoids a full trial.
- Small claims. Lower-value debts can go to the Lagos small claims court, which is designed to resolve claims quickly and at lower cost.
- Mediation. Where a negotiated outcome is realistic, the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse offers court-connected mediation, and a settlement reached there can be enforced.
Debt recovery lawyers in Abuja
Our Abuja office is in Wuse 2, and we act on debt claims before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
- Undefended list. For a liquidated money claim, we file under the FCT High Court's undefended list procedure. If the debtor cannot show a real defence, judgment is entered without a full trial.
- Small claims. Lower-value debts in the FCT can be brought under its small claims procedure.
- Mediation. The Abuja Multi-Door Courthouse offers court-connected mediation where settlement is realistic.
Wherever the debtor is in Nigeria, we file in the court with jurisdiction over the claim and enforce against its assets in that state.
Debt recovery for creditors outside Nigeria
Most of our foreign clients never need to travel. We take instructions by email and video call, work in English, and tell you which documents need to be signed, notarised or legalised abroad.
- Unpaid invoices and contracts. We pursue the claim in Nigeria under the governing contract, including where it is governed by foreign law.
- Foreign judgments. A judgment from a country with reciprocal arrangements with Nigeria, including the United Kingdom, can be registered and enforced here. Strict time limits apply, so act quickly. See enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards.
- Arbitral awards. Nigeria is a party to the New York Convention, and international awards can be recognised and enforced by the Nigerian courts.
- Getting paid. Recovered sums are paid into our client account and remitted to you through the banking system, with a full statement.
Debt recovery fees
- Initial review of your documents and a recovery plan before any work is billed.
- Fixed fee for the letter of demand and pre-action stage.
- Written quote for court action and enforcement, which you approve before anything is filed.
- Success-based fees can be agreed in writing for suitable claims.
You decide whether and when to escalate, and you receive a written update at each stage.
Lawful debt recovery only
Debt recovery in Nigeria is a civil matter. Unlike some debt collection agencies, we do not use the police, threats or public shaming to pressure debtors. Those tactics are unlawful, expose creditors to fundamental rights claims, and for consumer lenders breach FCCPC rules and data protection law. See our consumer protection compliance service for lenders.
