- Enforcement by registration
This is the common method of enforcing foreign judgments in
Nigeria. The judgment must be a judgment of a superior court of the
foreign country with reciprocal treatment with Nigeria. The
judgment must also be a monetary judgment, final and conclusive
between the parties. Under the Reciprocal Enforcement of
Judgments Rules 1922, a judgment creditor shall by an
exparte application, apply for leave to register a foreign
judgment within 12 months from the date the foreign court delivered
the judgment.
Nevertheless, the court may direct that the judgment debtor
should be put on notice. The Rules suggests that a Nigerian court
can extend time within which a judgment creditor may apply to
register a judgment. Generally, an application for extension of
time within which to register a judgment outside the statutory
period shall involve the exercise of the judge's discretionary
power which is exercised judicially and judiciously with regard
