Background checks & verification

Know who you are appointing

Independent verification of identity, employment, qualifications, references and criminal record — carried out with the candidate's written consent, reported exactly as the source states it.

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Why it matters

A convincing CV, a confident interview and a forged certificate look much the same on the day. Verification is the step that separates what a candidate says from what can be confirmed in writing by the institution, the employer or the authority concerned.

It matters most where trust is part of the job: people who handle cash, drive, work in homes, teach or care for children, hold professional licences, or sit at the top of an organisation.

How Eden works

Scope. We agree which checks you need, for how many candidates, and confirm the fees and timescale in writing.
Consent. Each candidate signs a consent form covering exactly the checks to be carried out.
Verification. We go to the source — the employer, the institution, the authority — not to a search engine.
Report. You receive a written report per candidate: what was confirmed, what was not, what could not be reached, and the date of each enquiry.

Eden reports what the source states. We do not grade candidates, and we do not make your hiring decision for you.

What we verify

Fifteen checks, used singly or as a package

Each entry below sets out what the check confirms, what we need from you, how it is done and how long it usually takes. Open one to read it in full.

01 Employment History VerificationConfirms that the roles, dates and reasons for leaving on a CV match the employer's own records.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
CV or employment history
Names and contact details of previous employers
Copies of appointment, confirmation or exit letters where held

How the check is done

We write to each named employer's HR or authorised officer
We confirm job title, dates, status and eligibility for re-employment where the employer discloses it
Discrepancies are recorded exactly as reported, without interpretation

Timing

5–10 working days per employer, depending on the employer's response

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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02 Previous Employer Reference ChecksA structured reference from a named manager at a previous employer, on conduct, performance and reliability.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Referee name, position, organisation and contact details
The competencies you want covered

How the check is done

A structured reference interview against agreed questions
Written record returned to you with the referee's own words where quoted
We report a refusal to comment as a refusal, not as a negative finding

Timing

3–7 working days per referee

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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03 Professional Reference ChecksIndependent professional referees — clients, supervisors or colleagues outside the previous employer.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Referee details and the professional relationship
The role being filled

How the check is done

Relationship confirmed before any questions are asked
Structured interview on the competencies the role needs
Written summary with the referee's consent to be named

Timing

3–7 working days per referee

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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04 Educational Qualification VerificationConfirms that a degree, diploma or certificate was awarded as claimed.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Copies of certificates and transcripts
Institution, course, matriculation number and year

How the check is done

Written confirmation requested from the awarding institution or its records office
Where an institution requires its own fee or portal, that cost is quoted separately
WAEC, NECO, NYSC and university awards are each confirmed with the issuing body

Timing

10–20 working days; some institutions take longer

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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05 Professional Certification and Membership VerificationConfirms membership grade and good standing with a professional institute.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Certificate or membership number
Institute name and grade claimed

How the check is done

Confirmation requested from the institute's membership registry
We record grade, date admitted and whether the member is in good standing

Timing

5–15 working days

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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06 Identity VerificationConfirms the person is who they say they are before anything else is checked.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
A government-issued identity document
A recent photograph

How the check is done

Document examined for consistency and validity
Name, date of birth and photograph matched against the document
Checks run through authorised verification channels only

Timing

1–3 working days

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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07 Address and Residential VerificationConfirms that the candidate lives where they say they live — important for roles involving trust, cash or home visits.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Full address with landmarks
A contact number for the visit

How the check is done

A physical visit by an Eden agent
Confirmation from the occupant, landlord or a responsible person at the address
Report with date, time and the name of the person who confirmed

Timing

3–7 working days; longer outside major cities

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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08 Police Checks and Criminal Record VerificationFor appointments involving trust: cash handling, children, vulnerable people, security, drivers, domestic staff and senior positions.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent specific to a police check
Government-issued identity document
Passport photographs
Full address history and any former names

How the check is done

The application is made through the authorised Nigeria Police Force process, with the candidate's written consent
The candidate's identity is matched against the documents presented
Eden reports exactly what the police certificate states, and nothing beyond it

Timing

Depends on the police process; Eden confirms the expected timescale before starting

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

Eden has no unrestricted access to any criminal database. A check confirms only what the authorised police process discloses for the identity presented, within the jurisdictions covered.

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09 Guarantor VerificationConfirms that a named guarantor exists, is traceable, and understands and accepts the undertaking.

What we need from you

Signed guarantor form
Guarantor identity document and address
The undertaking the guarantor is signing

How the check is done

Guarantor identity and address confirmed
Guarantor contacted to confirm the undertaking is genuine and understood
Employment or business standing confirmed where the undertaking depends on it

Timing

5–10 working days per guarantor

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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10 Financial and Credit Background ChecksFor roles with financial authority, where the law and the candidate's consent allow it.

What we need from you

Specific written candidate consent for a credit check
Identity document and bank verification details as required by the bureau
The lawful basis and the role that justifies the check

How the check is done

Carried out only through licensed credit bureaux, where legally permitted for the role
We report what the bureau returns, with its date
Where the check is not lawfully available for the role, we say so and do not proceed

Timing

3–10 working days

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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11 Professional Licence VerificationConfirms a practising licence is current — for medical, legal, engineering, accounting, teaching and driving roles.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Licence number and issuing authority
Copy of the licence

How the check is done

Status confirmed with the licensing authority
We record the licence class, expiry and any restriction the authority discloses

Timing

5–15 working days

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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12 Directorship and Corporate Affiliation ChecksShows the companies a person is recorded against — relevant to conflicts of interest and senior appointments.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Full name, any former names and date of birth
Known company names

How the check is done

Searches of the Corporate Affairs Commission register and other public records
Findings reported with the register entry and the date searched

Timing

5–10 working days

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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13 International Employment and Academic VerificationFor candidates who studied or worked outside Nigeria.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Certificates, transcripts and employment letters
Institution or employer details and the country

How the check is done

Confirmation requested from the overseas institution or employer, or through an authorised verification partner
Third-party or institutional fees are quoted separately before we begin

Timing

15–30 working days, depending on the country and institution

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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14 Sanctions and Regulatory ScreeningFor regulated sectors and senior appointments: screening against published sanctions, enforcement and politically exposed person lists.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent
Full name, any former names, date of birth and nationality

How the check is done

Screening against published official and reputable commercial lists
Any match is reviewed for identity before it is reported
A match is reported as a possible match requiring your decision, never as a finding of wrongdoing

Timing

3–7 working days

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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15 Enhanced Executive and Sensitive-Position Due DiligenceA combined, deeper review for executive hires, board appointments and positions of significant trust.

What we need from you

Signed candidate consent covering each element
The checks you want included
The appointment and its risk profile

How the check is done

A package agreed with you in advance from the checks above
Public-record and media review alongside the individual checks
One consolidated report with sources and dates

Timing

Agreed with you before work starts; typically 3–6 weeks

Fee

Quoted on enquiry, based on the number of candidates and the records involved. Third-party, institutional and official fees, where they apply, are shown separately on your quotation.

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Police checks

Criminal record verification, done properly

A police check is applied for through the authorised Nigeria Police Force process, with the candidate's specific written consent. Eden prepares the application, matches the candidate's identity against the documents presented, follows the application through and reports precisely what the certificate states.

What a police check can and cannot tell you

It confirms what the authorised police process discloses for the identity presented.
It covers the jurisdictions reached by that process, not every state or country a person has lived in.
It reflects records as they stand on the date of the certificate.
A clear certificate is not a guarantee of future conduct, and Eden never presents it as one.

Eden has no unrestricted access to any criminal database, and we will not claim or imply otherwise.

What it costs

Police checks are quoted for your requirement. The quotation separates Eden's service charge — preparing the application, matching identity, following the process through and writing your report — from official Nigeria Police Force fees, which are set by the Force and paid at the published official rate.

Eden adds no margin to an official fee.

Tell us how many candidates and the positions involved, and you will have a written quotation before anything begins.

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Consent, privacy and fairness

No check begins without the candidate's written consent for that specific check.
Candidate documents are held securely, used only for the verification, and shared only with you.
Where a source disputes or cannot confirm something, we report that as it stands rather than drawing a conclusion.
Candidates may ask what was reported about them.
We handle personal data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 — see our privacy notice.

Common questions

Can you check someone without telling them?

No. Every check requires the candidate's written consent, and we ask for it in writing before we start.

How quickly can it be done?

Identity and address checks take days. Institutional confirmations take weeks, because they depend on the institution replying. Your quotation gives the expected timescale for each check you choose.

What if a previous employer will not respond?

We record the attempts made and the dates, and report the check as unconfirmed. We never fill a gap with an assumption.

Do you check candidates you did not recruit?

Yes. Verification is a standalone service and is quoted separately from recruitment.

Can you verify foreign qualifications?

Yes, through the overseas institution or an authorised partner. Timescales are longer and any third-party fee is quoted before we begin.