How long does negative information stay on my Credit Report?

You missed a payment. Maybe you lost your job. Maybe an emergency drained your savings. Maybe a loan app's illegal interest rates made repayment impossible.

Now you are worried. Will that mistake follow you forever? Will you never be approved for a mortgage? Will your children's school fees loan be denied because of something that happened years ago?

Here is the truth that predatory lenders do not want you to know: negative information on your credit report does not last forever.

It has an expiration date. And once that date passes, your credit report returns to a neutral state—as if the default never happened.

This guide explains exactly how long negative information stays on your Nigerian credit report, when the clock starts ticking, and what you can do to protect yourself in the meantime.

The Short Answer

Under the Credit Reporting Act of Nigeria and guidelines issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), negative information remains on your credit report for a maximum of six years (72 months) from the date of first default.

When Does the Six-Year Clock Start?

This is the most important question—and the one most borrowers get wrong.

The six-year clock starts on the date of first default, not the date you last made a payment. Not the date the lender reported you. Not the date a collection agency bought the debt.

Example:

• January 15, 2024: You miss your first payment
• March 2024: The lender reports you to CRC Credit Bureau
• December 2025: You make a partial payment
• January 2026: The lender reports again

The six-year clock started on January 15, 2024. It will expire on January 15, 2030—regardless of your partial payment in 2025.

Why does this matter? Because some lenders will try to "reset the clock" by accepting a small payment. They want you to believe the six years start over. Under Nigerian law, they do not.

Can Lenders "Re-Age" My Debt to Keep It on My Report Longer?

"Re-aging" means resetting the clock on negative information to make it stay on your report longer than six years.

In Nigeria, illegal re-aging happens—but it is against CBN rules.

Lenders sometimes attempt to re-age debt by:

• Accepting a token payment and claiming the default date reset
• Reporting the debt as a "new" default after a partial payment
• Selling the debt to a collection agency who reports it as a new account

Your right: Under the CBN Consumer Protection Framework, the date of first default cannot be changed. If a lender re-ages your debt, you can dispute it with the credit bureau and file a complaint with the CBN at cp@cbn.gov.ng.