Search and document delivery at a glance
- Search online
- Not specified
- Search language
- Not specified
- Digital documents
- Not specified
- Document language
- Not specified
- Paper and collection
- Not specified
- International delivery
- Not specified
- Fees at a glance
- Ask NIB for the verification and copy charges
- Access
- Apply to NIB with the name, number and required record
Choose the right register
The directorate describes responsibility for sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited-liability companies and guarantee/non-profit entities. It also handles annual returns, director, name and address changes, and dissolutions. Those filing services are distinct from researching an existing business. [1]
Names and abbreviations explained
- NIBNational Investment Board
- The authority housing the directorate responsible for business registration and corporate affairs. [1]
- Name Search / VerificationName availability / registration verification
- Checking a proposed name and verifying an existing registration are different services. Specify the latter when researching an existing business. [1]
- Certified copyCertified document copy
- A registry-certified copy of a company document, such as its incorporation certificate. [1]
Search step by step
Check an existing business
Identify the business precisely
Gather the full name, any registration number and the known address. Ask for verification of an existing registered business, rather than just availability of a new name. [1]
Contact the responsible directorate
Email info@nib.gov.sl or use NIB’s contact form and ask for Business Registration and Facilitation. Telephone: +232 73 952 144. The listed office is 3 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Freetown, open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. [3]
Agree the evidence and delivery
Specify the registration confirmation or certified filed-document copy required. Before paying, confirm the amount and currency, identification, any authorisation, format and overseas delivery. NIB’s service page identifies these services but does not state their specific enquiry charges. [1] [3]
Documents and fees
| Document / information | Contents and purpose | Fee | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration verification [1] [3] | Official verification that the named business is registered. | Request the charge from NIB. | Business Registration and Facilitation through the NIB contact. |
| Certified company-document copy [1] [3] | For example, a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation. Identify any other filing required. | Request the copying and certification fee for the particular document. | Apply to NIB with the name, registration number and document description. |
Request registry information
Contact the published registry office for information about a particular company. Provide its full name and any registration number, and specify the information or document you need. [2] [3]
Which records to ask about
NIB expressly offers certified copies of company documents, giving incorporation certificates as an example. For other records, identify the particular filing and date. Handling annual returns and corporate changes does not automatically make all ownership information and annual accounts freely available online. [1]
Avoid common mistakes
- New registration charges are not enquiry or certified-copy prices. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Must I attend in person in Sierra Leone?
NIB publishes a telephone number, email and contact form, allowing an enquiry to begin from abroad. The directorate must confirm whether the particular document requires representation or collection. [3] [1]
Will I definitely receive a PDF?
The service description confirms certified copies but no specific electronic delivery format. Explicitly agree PDF or paper before ordering. [1]
Original sources
Sources reviewed: 16 September 2026. The guidance is based on the linked information published by registers and public authorities.
- Business Registration & Corporate Affairs National Investment Board, Sierra Leone
- Business Portal National Investment Board, Sierra Leone
- Contact Us National Investment Board, Sierra Leone