Verification

Every provider on Near-U has been through a four-step check before they can take their first booking:

1. Government ID — NIN, driver's licence, voter's card, or international passport. Name + photo cross-checked against the account.
2. Address or workshop — for shop-based trades (mechanics, tailors, salons) a field agent visits in person. For mobile-only trades (plumbers, electricians, drivers) we confirm a utility bill + phone OTP from a Nigerian SIM active for at least 90 days.
3. Skills — three reference checks for general trades; trade certifications for specialists (electricians, gas fitters, etc).
4. Background screening — basic check for prior dispute history; extended check for high-trust categories (nannies, home nurses, live-in housekeepers).

We reject roughly one in three applications. The green tick means the person passed all four layers.

Most providers are verified within 24 hours of submitting their documents. Complex cases (multi-state operations, specialist trades, company accounts with CAC documents) can take up to 48 hours.

You'll get an SMS and email the moment we approve — or reject with feedback on what to fix.

You'll see the exact reason at the top of your provider profile page. Common reasons:

• Selfie is too blurry or doesn't match the ID photo.
• The name on your account doesn't match the name on your ID.
• The ID document is expired.
• Workshop address couldn't be verified.

Fix the issue, then click the Resubmit for verification button on your profile. We usually re-review within 24 hours.