My late father buy a shares in a company and it have been over 30+ years unclaimed. We discovered it this year but do not know who is next of kin in his shares. How do we know who is next of kin?
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My late father buy a shares in a company and it have been over 30+ years unclaimed. We discovered it this year but do not know who is next of kin in his shares. How do we know who is next of kin?
When shares of a deceased person remain unclaimed (especially for 30+ years), the first step is to determine who was listed as the Next of Kin or nominee when your father bought the shares. Here is the step-by-step process in Nigeria: Step 1: Locate Any Old Share Documents Look for: Share certificatRead more
When shares of a deceased person remain unclaimed (especially for 30+ years), the first step is to determine who was listed as the Next of Kin or nominee when your father bought the shares.
See lessHere is the step-by-step process in Nigeria:
Step 1: Locate Any Old Share Documents
Look for:
Share certificates
Dividend warrants (old dividend cheques)
CSCS statements
Purchase receipts
Broker statements
These documents usually contain:
Shareholder name
Company name
Registrar name
Shareholder account number (very important)
Step 2: Contact the Company Registrar
Every company has a Registrar that manages shareholders’ records.
Examples in Nigeria include:
First Registrars and Investor Services Limited
Meristem Registrars and Probate Services Limited
Coronation Registrars Limited
Africa Prudential Plc
Tell them:
Your father’s full name
Approximate year shares were bought
Company name
They will check:
Next of kin (if listed)
Number of shares
Unclaimed dividends
Step 3: If No Next of Kin Was Listed
This is very common (especially 30+ years ago).
Then you will need:
Required Documents
Usually:
Death certificate of your father
Letter of administration OR probate
Valid ID of beneficiaries
Passport photographs
Birth certificate (to prove relationship)
Step 4: Get Letter of Administration (If No Will)
If your father did not leave a will, you must apply for:
Letter of Administration from the Probate Registry (High Court in your state)
This legally allows you to claim:
Shares
Bank accounts
Other investments
Step 5: Check Unclaimed Dividends Portal (Very Important)
You can also search via:
Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria (SEC Nigeria)
Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS)
These help trace:
Unclaimed shares
Dividends
Registrar details
Quick Summary
To know the next of kin:
Check old share documents
Contact the company registrar
If none listed → apply for Letter of Administration
Since it’s 30+ years, there’s a very good chance:
There may be bonus shares
There may be unclaimed dividends
Value may have grown significantly 📈
This happens often in Nigeria.