Unlike a change of name, which implies a deliberate desire to adopt a new identity, a correction of name implies that the original name was correct but was captured erroneously by an official body, such as the West African Examination Council (WAEC), a bank, or the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
When to Use This Affidavit
This affidavit is specifically required when there is a conflict between the name an individual uses and the name that appears on a specific document. For example, if a university certificate spells a surname as 'Osahon' but a birth certificate spells it as 'Osahor', this affidavit is used to clarify the error. It is also used when the order of names is jumbled (e.g., First Name appearing as Surname) on visa applications or bank account profiles.
Legal Effect
By swearing this affidavit, the deponent legally asserts that both the wrong name (as written on the document) and the correct name refer to one and the same person. This allows authorities to amend their records without requiring the individual to undergo a full change of name process. It serves as a bridge, validating the ownership of the erroneous document while establishing the correct spelling for future records.