A useful Power of Attorney brief tells your lawyer who should act, for which property and with what limits. It is not the legal instrument itself. The lawyer must advise whether this arrangement is appropriate and prepare wording that fits the transaction and place of use.
This worksheet complements our Power of Attorney guide for buyers abroad. It is designed to help you arrive at the legal consultation with clear instructions, not to encourage signing an online template.
1. Identify the parties
Record your full legal name, contact details and location, together with the proposed representative’s details and relationship to you. Tell the lawyer whether a company, joint owner, estate or other party is involved. Ask which identification and supporting documents are required and how to share them securely.
2. Identify the transaction and property
Provide the offered plot or unit reference, location, survey details, seller’s name and documents received. State whether the proposed role relates to buying, selling, managing, collecting documents or another activity. Do not assume that authority for one task includes all the others.
If the property is not yet selected, explain that rather than inventing a description. Your lawyer should address how any later identification or limitation is handled.
3. List the actions you intend to authorise
| Possible action | Your instruction to discuss |
|---|---|
| Request information | Which documents and authorities? |
| Attend inspections | For which property and with which professionals? |
| Sign documents | Which documents require your prior approval? |
| Handle money | Is this necessary, and what controls would apply? |
| Appoint another person | Should delegation be allowed at all? |
These are questions, not recommended clauses. Authority should be no broader than the arrangement actually requires.
4. Set reporting expectations
Explain how you want decisions, receipts, documents and progress reported. Identify who retains originals and where copies are stored. Discuss how the representative should seek approval for an unexpected proposal or a change in the property.
For example, your brief might say: “I want to review the final purchase documents and payment instructions before completion.” Ask the lawyer how that intention should be reflected and implemented; a sentence in an email is not a substitute for the appropriate legal structure.
5. Ask about duration, ending authority and conflicts
Have the lawyer explain duration, revocation, notification and any legal limits relevant to the proposed instrument. Disclose whether the representative is also the seller, agent, developer or someone with another financial interest.
Do not assume every Power of Attorney can be revoked in the same way, or that a blanket expiry period is appropriate. The earlier draft’s generalised claims on these points have been removed.
6. Clarify overseas signing before booking appointments
Tell the lawyer where you will sign and where the document must be used. Ask about witnesses, notarisation, authentication, consular requirements, stamping or registration where applicable. Obtain the current instructions from the relevant authorities.
The HCCH Apostille Convention status table did not list Nigeria as a contracting party when checked on 21 September 2026. Do not assume an apostille alone resolves acceptance in Nigeria; confirm the route for your document and signing country.
A short message to start the consultation
I am based in [country] and considering [transaction] involving [property reference]. I would like [person] to handle [specific tasks]. I want to retain approval over [decisions]. Please advise whether a Power of Attorney is suitable, the proposed scope, execution requirements, deliverables and an itemised fee.
Keep sensitive identification and property documents out of public comments. Share them through the channel agreed directly with the appointed lawyer.
Next: pair the legal brief with our remote verification workflow.
Reviewed 21 September 2026. General buyer education; investigations and requirements must be tailored to the property.
