17/11/2025
STOP USING SLASHES WHEN WRITING DATES โ A SMALL HABIT WITH BIG LEGAL CONSEQUENCES
Most people write dates like 12/10/25 without thinking.
To you it may mean 12 October 2025 โ to someone else it may read 10 December 2025. One tiny slash. Two possible meanings.
That harmless habit can create real risk when the date sits in a contract, receipt, land agreement, survey plan, or court document. A wrong or unclear date can distort timelines, change who must do what and when, or even leave a document open to challenge for uncertainty.
Why courts care about clear dates
Courts do not guess what you meant โ they interpret what you wrote. Where wording or dates are ambiguous, Nigerian courts apply well-established rules:
* Ambiguities in contracts are often construed against the party who drafted them (the contra proferentem rule). This is a principle the Nigerian courts have applied in recent decisions.
* Documents that are undated or unclear can be struck out or declared invalid because they rob the court (and the parties) of necessary certainty. High Court decisions have set that out when origin and validity of documents were in doubt.
Real examples from Nigerian cases (simple summaries)
1. Delmas & Ors v Sunny Ositez Intl Ltd (Supreme Court) โ contra proferentem
When a contract is ambiguous, the court will often construe that ambiguity against the drafter (the party who prepared the document). This principle has been cited repeatedly by Nigerian courts when resolving disputes over unclear contract terms.
2. National Industrial Court judgment (employment contract / unclear terminal date)
In a recent NICN judgment the court emphasised that where the contract does not clearly state an end date, the ambiguity cannot be used by the party who drafted the document to avoid liability; the ambiguity was interpreted against the drafter and the employee was awarded entitlements. That decision relies on the same clarity-first approach judges use in many contract disputes.
3. Shena Security Co. Ltd v Afropak (Supreme Court) โ fixed terms and certainty
The Supreme Court has also stressed the importance of certainty in contracts (including employment contracts) when determining rights and liabilities arising from fixed-term agreements. Unclear terms about duration or notice can significantly change remedies.
4. Cases emphasising remedies where an instrument is unclear or defective
Other decisions โ including appellate and trial court authorities โ show that courts will refuse to give effect to documents that are defective, undated, or ambiguous where that defect affects jurisdiction or the substance of rights.
Practical rule: ditch the slash โ write dates in full
Instead of writing 12/10/25, write one of these:
* 12 October 2025 โ (day month year)
* October 12, 2025 โ (month day, year)
That extra few seconds removes 100% of the ambiguity.
Why this matters in real estate (short, sharp)
Every date in a property or land document can fix:
* When an offer becomes binding
* When payment is due or possession transfers
* When rights, warranties or easements begin or expire
* When limitation periods or penalties kick in
A single ambiguous date can cost you money, delay a sale, harm your reputation โ or risk your title or rights. Nigerian courts will enforce clarity, but they will not rewrite your sloppy date for you.
Final advice from Wayback Properties
Before you sign or issue any document โ even a receipt โ write the date in full. Itโs not old-fashioned; itโs precise. Precision protects property, money and peace of mind.
Donโt rush your pen. A single slash can create a legal storm.
Write your dates clearly โ your future self will thank you.
