LEARN · ARTICLE
Creating your account and getting verified
The first step to investing on Orchard is setting up your account and completing verification. Here is what that process actually involves.
Getting started with Orchard · Part 1 of 3
Summary
The first step to investing on Orchard is setting up your account and completing verification. Here is what that process actually involves.
Every regulated investment platform in Nigeria has to confirm who you are before letting you invest. This is not unique to Orchard. It comes from anti-money laundering rules that apply to every institution distributing regulated financial products. This guide walks through what that process actually looks like, step by step.
Step 1: Sign up
Creating an account starts with the basics: your name, email address, and phone number. This gets you a login, but it does not yet let you invest. Think of it as the front door, not full access to the building.
Step 2: Provide your identification
Next comes identity verification, often called KYC, short for "know your customer." You will be asked to provide a valid form of government-issued identification. This step exists because regulated institutions are required to confirm the identity of anyone using their platform, in the same way a bank asks for identification when you open an account.
Step 3: Confirm your address
In most cases, you will also need to confirm your address, usually through a utility bill or similar document. This is part of the same regulatory requirement as identity verification, not a separate hurdle Orchard invented.
Step 4: Wait for verification to complete
Once your details and documents are submitted, verification takes some time to process. This is not instant, because it involves an actual check, not just a form being accepted automatically. Until it is complete, your account exists, but you will not be able to fund it or invest yet.
Why this step cannot be skipped
It might be tempting to see this as friction standing between you and investing, but it is a legal requirement tied to the products themselves. The institutions whose products are distributed through Orchard are regulated by bodies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, and part of that regulation is knowing who is actually investing. Skipping or rushing this step is not possible, because the products on the other side of it are real, regulated financial instruments, not a demo.
Once verification is complete, you are ready for the next part of getting started: funding your account and making your first investment, which is covered in Part 2 of this series.
Key takeaways
- Signing up starts with basic details like your name, email, and phone number.
- Verification, sometimes called KYC, confirms your identity and is a legal requirement, not extra friction Orchard added.
- You will need a valid form of identification and, in most cases, a way to confirm your address.
- You cannot invest until verification is complete, so it is worth doing early rather than right before you want to invest.
Ready to put this into practice?
Open an Orchard account and see the specific products available to invest in today.
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Funding your account and making your first investment
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Tracking and managing what you've invested
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