across Nigeria, signing legal documents has become part of daily routine for many young people and professionals navigating loans, rentals, employment offers, business deals, phone contracts and even online services.
From bustling markets in Lagos and Abuja to university campuses and motor parks, individuals often sign documents in haste to secure opportunities, driven by economic pressures, time constraints, peer influence or simple trust in the other party.
These documents, ranging from tenancy agreements and loan facilities to employment contracts and digital click-wrap agreements, are often presented as straightforward pathways to progress. Yet, the fine print frequently contains obligations, penalties, waivers and automatic renewals that can trap signatories in unfavourable or costly situations.
However, growing awareness of legal and financial pitfalls, coupled with rising contract disputes, is prompting calls for greater legal literacy and caution.
Many Nigerians are learning the hard way that a signature can create binding commitments with long-term consequences.
For most, the process is hurried and treated as a routine formality. Some sign because they trust the other party, feel pressured by urgency or assume the contents are “standard.”
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH on this, a legal practitioner at Lawtrust Consult, Abuja, Ruth Ojonugwa, identified impatience, illiteracy and misplaced trust as major factors responsible for the widespread practice of signing documents without proper review.
“One of the reasons is impatience. Some individuals are always in a hurry to sign a document, especially where money is involved, so they sign themselves into problems and later litigation.
“Some people are
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