Companies House Verification for Nigerian Directors
How directors in Nigeria or with Nigerian passports verify for Companies House: UK-based checks, name order and Nigerian addresses.
Many UK companies have directors and PSCs who live in Nigeria or hold Nigerian passports. Every one of them must verify their identity with Companies House. You can do it online from Lagos, Abuja or anywhere else, without travelling to the UK. What usually causes problems is not the passport, but UK-based checks, name order and Nigerian address formats.
Why UK-Based Checks Often Fail
The GOV.UK route relies on a smartphone app and, for many people, security questions drawn from UK financial records. Directors living in Nigeria usually have no UK credit history, so the app route can stop before it starts.
The ACSP route does not depend on UK records. A compliance officer reviews your documents and a registered ACSP completes the verification.
Names: Order, Middle Names and Spellings
Nigerian names often include several given names, and the order on a passport may differ from the Companies House register: a surname written first, a middle name dropped, or a name spelled slightly differently.
On the ACSP route, a compliance officer compares your passport with the register and records any alternative names, so a difference in order or spelling is explained rather than rejected.
Why Directors in Nigeria Choose CorpAssist
Identity verification is a legal requirement, so getting it right the first time matters. Here is what CorpAssist handles for you:
- Nigerian passports and other government photo ID accepted
- Name order, middle names and spelling differences reviewed by a compliance officer
- No UK bank account, UK credit history or UK phone number needed
- Nigerian addresses and bank statements or utility bills accepted
- No app: complete the form on any computer in about 10 minutes
- From £29.99 + VAT, with Fast Track in 1 business day
Nigerian Addresses
Nigerian addresses are accepted. Give the full residential address as it appears on your documents, including the street, area, city and state. A recent bank statement or an electricity bill showing your name and address, dated within the last 3 months, works as proof of address.
What You Need
- Any valid, government-issued photo ID, such as your passport, driving licence or national identity card
- One proof of address dated within the last 3 months, such as a bank statement or utility bill
- Your residential addresses for the last three years, with no gaps (overseas addresses are fine)
- Your full name, date of birth and any previous names
The full list is in our verification checklist. For everything else about verifying from abroad, read the overseas director verification guide, and check your date with the deadline calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I verify for Companies House from Nigeria?
Yes. The whole process is online. You do not need to travel to the UK or have a UK address, bank account or credit history.
My name is in a different order on the register. Is that a problem?
Not on the ACSP route. Enter your name as it appears on your passport and list the register version as an alternative name. A compliance officer reviews the difference.
What can I use as proof of address in Nigeria?
A bank statement, credit card statement or an electricity, water or gas bill dated within the last 3 months, showing your name and residential address.
How long does it take?
Standard takes 2–3 business days and Fast Track 1 business day after a complete application.
CorpAssist is an independent commercial service and is not Companies House or GOV.UK. We facilitate identity verification through a registered Authorised Corporate Service Provider. Source: GOV.UK identity verification guidance.
Last verified: October 2026
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