Free Trade Document Legalization for Nigeria

Nigeria is not among the countries party to the Hague Convention of 1961 drafted to simplify document certification. For that reason, full consular certification must be performed for Russian documents to be used in Nigeria.

Full consular certification for Nigeria consists of five steps:     

• Preparation of a notarial copy of the document.
• Notarial translation from Russian into English.
• Certification of the document at the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.
• Certification of the document at the MIA of Russia.
• Certification of the document at the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow.

We propose two different options for certification:

• in 12 business days (not counting the wait period for the notarial translation and certification of the document at the embassy);
• in 7 business days (not counting the wait period for the notarial translation and certification of the document at the embassy).

There exists a range of commercial documents (free trade certificates, origin certificates, bills, invoices, agreements in free written form, acts) that cannot be certified at the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

How are these kinds of documents certified?

In these cases, certification can only be done via the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation.

Main certification stages via the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation

• Stage 1: having a regional Chamber of Trade and Commerce representative office seal stamped on the commercial document (including a free trade certificate).
• Stage 2: having the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation's seal stamped.
• Stage 3: having a seal stamped at the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow.

REMEMBER! The document will not be accepted for certification at the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation without the official approval of the regional Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

IMPORTANT NOTE!

In 2020, the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation introduced a new rule: now the document certification applicant at the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation must have two additional documents with them:

• a power of attorney on behalf of the company;
• a letter from the company.

Both documents must be executed on a company form and contain the CEO’s signature and seal (we provide you templates after you place your order).

The certification process at the Chamber of Trade and Commerce of the Russian Federation takes one business da.

Official website of the Nigerian Embassy: nigerianembassy.ru

For a third party to be able to submit documents, a power of attorney (can be done in free written form), copy of the passport of the person indicated in the document, as well as the document subject to certification are required.