How to Write a Notice to Quit in Nigeria (2026 Guide)
Updated September 2026 · 7-minute read · Free generator included
A notice to quit is the written notice that ends a tenancy at a stated date. Get the period, the date, the signature or the service wrong and a Nigerian court will throw it out — costing the landlord months, or leaving the tenant wrongly pressured. Here is what a valid notice must contain, how the periods work, and the fastest way to produce one properly.
1. What it is — and what it is not
It is a formal written notice ending the tenancy on a stated date, served by the landlord (or the tenant, if the tenant is the one leaving).
It is not an eviction. If the tenant stays after it expires, the landlord still cannot touch the property — possession is recovered through the courts, never by self-help.
It is not a rent demand or an apology letter. Keep it clean: one purpose, one date.
2. The 5 things a valid notice must have
The correct minimum period — set by the tenancy type and the state where the agreement is silent (table below). If the written agreement fixes a period, that clause generally governs.
The right parties and premises — full names and the exact address of the property. A notice that misdescribes the premises can be void.
A clear termination date — the date the tenancy ends. Vague wording ("as soon as possible") destroys the notice.
Signature by the right person — the landlord personally, or an agent/solicitor with written authority dated before the notice is issued. An agent without paper authority is a fatal defect.
Provable service — it must reach the other party in a way you can prove in court. Service can generally be made on any day and at any hour — but proof is everything.
3. Notice periods: the table that decides everything
Where the agreement is silent, statutory minimums apply. Lagos (Tenancy Law 2011, s.13(1)) shows the pattern that runs across most states — longer tenancy, longer notice:
Type of tenancy
Lagos minimum notice
Tenant at will
1 week
Monthly
1 month
Quarterly
3 months
Half-yearly
3 months
Yearly
6 months
Other states have their own tenancy laws and recovery rules — for example, recovery of premises in the FCT runs under the Recovery of Premises Act. The practical rule everywhere: your written agreement's notice clause generally governs — if both parties signed three months, three months stands. The statutory minimums apply only where the agreement is silent.
Traditional rule: the notice had to expire at the end of a complete period of the tenancy — a monthly tenancy's notice ends at the end of a rent month, not mid-month.
Modern approach (as in Lagos): expiry on or after the current term ends is accepted.
The safe rule: when in doubt, give more than the minimum. A longer notice is never fatal. A shorter one voids everything.
5. Serving it so it survives court
Deliver it personally where possible — and have a witness present.
Record the delivery: a dated photograph of the document being handed over, a signed acknowledgement copy, or a trackable dispatch.
Follow up with a photo/scan sent by WhatsApp or email — not as the primary service, but as supporting proof.
Already expired fixed term? No quit notice is needed at all in many jurisdictions (including Lagos) — only the further 7-day court notice.
6. After the notice expires — the lawful path
The notice period runs out on the stated date.
The landlord serves a further 7 days' notice of intention to apply to court to recover possession.
Court proceedings follow — in Lagos, the Magistrates' Courts; in the FCT, under the Recovery of Premises Act (s.8 sets out the recovery procedure).
What is never allowed: changing locks, removing the tenant's belongings, threats or force. Self-help is unlawful and exposes the landlord to damages — however strong the claim.
In Lagos, heavy arrears change the tenant's position: a monthly tenant six months in arrears (or a quarterly/half-yearly tenant a year in arrears) can lose entitlement to a quit notice at all (Tenancy Law 2011, s.13(2)–(3)).
7. If you are the tenant who received one
Check the period against your tenancy type and your agreement — a short notice is void.
Check the signature — an agent without dated written authority cannot serve it.
Check service — a notice you never received can be challenged.
Start planning regardless: a validly served notice is only a matter of time. Negotiate, or prepare to move on your own terms.
8. Five mistakes that void notices
Short notice. Six months owed, three months given — void.
Wrong termination date. Counted from service instead of expiring at the end of a tenancy period.
Agent without authority. No dated written authority = no valid signature.
No proof of service. "I gave it to him" is not evidence.
Self-help after expiry. The notice was valid; the lock-change lawsuit now belongs to the landlord.
9. Make it in 2 minutes — free
The DocOga Notice to Quit generator asks plain questions — parties, premises, tenancy type, termination date — and produces a clean, standard Nigerian notice ready to print, sign and serve. Free, no signup, works on your phone.
How many months' notice must a landlord give in Nigeria?
It depends on tenancy type, state, and the agreement — e.g. 1 month for a monthly tenant, 6 months for a yearly tenant in Lagos where the agreement is silent. A signed agreement clause generally governs.
Is a notice to quit the same as an eviction?
No. It ends the tenancy at a stated date. If the tenant stays, possession still requires the court process — starting with a further 7 days' notice of intention to apply.
Can a landlord eject a tenant without court?
No. Self-help (locks, removal of property, force) is unlawful. Recovery runs through the courts — under the Recovery of Premises Act in the FCT.
Does a notice to quit need a lawyer?
No. Validity turns on the correct period, a clear date, proper signature and provable service — not on a lawyer's stamp.
How do I count the notice period?
Traditionally it expires at the end of a complete tenancy period; the modern approach accepts expiry on or after the current term ends. In doubt, give more than the minimum.