How to Search Africa Records
Africa provides 67 searchable databases across multiple government agencies. Use the portals below based on the record type you need.
Important: Access rules vary. Some Africa records require registration, fees, or formal requests. Criminal records in most countries are restricted and require authorization.
SearchSystems.net has tracked international public record sources since 1997.
Algeria | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, legislation, Parliament, constitutional law, domain names, elections, foreign investment, intellectual property, and other government and legal information.
Algeria | Patents & Trademarks
Official Government Source Free Access
l'Institut National Algerien de la Propriete Industrielle (INAPI) patent office patents and trademarks in Algeria.
Angola | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Angola and access government resources for education, government, legislation, Parliament, constitutional law, elections, foreign investment, media, military law, telecommunications, and other government and legal information.
Benin | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Benin and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, legislation, Parliament, elections, and other government and legal information.
Botswana | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Botswana and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, law journals, legislation, Parliament, constitutional law, banking, finance, criminal law, elections, environment, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Burkina Faso | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Burkina Faso and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, legislation, Parliament, elections, poverty reduction, telecommunications, and other government and legal information.
Burundi | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Burundi and access government resources for legislation, government, Parliament, domain names, human rights, and other government and legal information.
Cameroon | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Cameroon and access government resources for Cameroon government, legislation, Parliament, criminal law, domain names, taxation & revenue, telecommunications, and other government and legal information.
Cape Verde | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Cape Verde and access government resources for legislation, government, Parliament, elections, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Central African Republic | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information the Central African Republic and access government resources for courts and case law, government, legislation, and other government and legal information.
Chad | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Chad and access government resources for courts and case law, government, law journals, legislation, and other government and legal information.
Comoros | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Comoros and access government resources and legal information.
Congo | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and access government resources for education, government, legislation, Parliament, domain names, and other government and legal information.
Congo | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Republic of the Congo and access government resources for courts and inter-governmental organizations, legislation, domain names, and other government and legal information.
Cote d'Ivoire | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and access government resources for courts and case law, government, legislation, domain names, elections, mining, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Djibouti | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Djibouti and access government resources for legislation, government, domain names, good governance, and other government and legal information.
Egypt | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Arab Republic of Egypt and access government resources for government, legislation, Parliament, alternative dispute resolution, banking, finance, domain names, foreign investment, intellectual property, military law, poverty reductions, and other government and legal information.
Equatorial Guinea | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Equatorial Guinea and access government resources.
Eritrea | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Eritrea and access government resources for education, government, legislation, constitutional law, elections, and other government and legal information.
Ethiopia | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, legislation, Parliament, alternative dispute resolution, constitutional law, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Gabon | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Gabonese Republic and access government resources for courts and case law, government, legislation, Parliament, and other government and legal information.
Gambia | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Gambia and access government resources for courts and case law, government, law reform, Parliament, constitutional law, criminal law and other government and legal information.
Ghana | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Ghana and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, legislation, Parliament, constitutional and criminal law, elections, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Guinea | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Guinea and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, elections, legislation, Parliament, and other government and legal information.
Guinea-Bissau | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Guinea-Bissau and access government resources for government, legislation, telecommunications, and other government and legal information.
Kenya | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Kenya and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, law reform, lawyers, legislation, Parliament, constitutional law, criminal law, intellectual property, and other government and legal information.
Lesotho | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Lesotho and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, legal aid, lawyers, legislation, Parliament, criminal law, and other government and legal information.
Liberia | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Liberia and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, law journals, lawyers, legislation, Parliament, constitutional law, and other government and legal information.
Libya | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and access Libyan government resources for legislation, Parliament, constitutional law, banking and finance, and other government and legal information.
Madagascar | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Madagascar and access government resources for courts and case law, government, legislation, Parliament, constitutional law, privatization, and other government and legal information.
Malawi | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Malawi and access government resources for courts and case law, government, law reform, legislation, Parliament, criminal law, domain names, and other government and legal information.
Mali | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Mali and access government resources for courts and case law, government, law journals, Malian Law, law reform, legislation, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Mauritania | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and access government resources for legislation, government, Parliament, constitutional law, telecommunications, and other government and legal information.
Mauritius | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Mauritius and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, law reform, lawyers, legislation, Parliament, consumer protection, companies, elections, military law, and other government and legal information.
Morocco | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Kingdom of Morocco and access government resources for government, legislation, constitutional law, foreign investment, good governance, human rights intellectual property, privatization, and other government and legal information.
Mozambique | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Mozambique and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, legislation, criminal law, elections, foreign investment, privatization, taxation, and other government and legal information.
Namibia | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Namibia and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, Namibian law, legal aid, lawyers, legislation, Parliament, criminal law, domain names, and other government and legal information.
Niger | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Republic of Niger and access government resources for courts and case law, government, legislation, Parliament, elections, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Nigeria Criminal Code
Official Government Source Free Access
Browse the Criminal Code for Nigeria by Chapter and Title.
Nigeria | Government and Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and access government resources for courts and case law, education, government, law reform, legislation, Parliament, anti-corruption, aviation law, banking, finance, criminal law, elections, environment, foreign investment, and other government and legal information.
Rwanda | Criminal Tribunal Case Status
Official Government Source Free Access
United Nations International Criminal Tribunal status of prosecution cases against those responsible for the 1994 genocide.
Rwanda | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal information for Rwanda and access links to the following resources: courts and case law, elections, legislation, government, constitutional law, and more.
Sao Tome & Principe | Law Databases
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Sao Tome & Principe law databases, including legislation, poverty reduction, inter-government organizations, and other law indexes.
Senegal | Law Databases
Official Government Source Free Access
Senegal law databases. Search legislation, courts and case law, government, foreign investment, and other law databases.
Seychelles | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal databases for the Seychelles, including courts and case law, legislation, government, cyberspace, environment, and other law indexes.
Sierra Leone | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Sierra Leone legal databases, including government, legislation, lawyers, treaties, human rights, and other law indexes.
Somalia Missing Persons
Official Government Source Free Access
International Red Cross database of persons missing because of the conflict in Somalia.
Somalia | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Somalia legal databases. Search Inter-Government Organizations, good governance, and other indexes.
South Africa Aircraft
Official Government Source Free Access
Search this Landings.com service for South African Aircraft registration by ZS/ZU number, serial number, owner, or use the expanded search option.
South Africa Burials & Gravestones
Official Government Source Free Access
Use this National Archives of South African Genealogical Society on Gravestones service to search for burial registers, gravestones, and memorial lists.
South Africa Contact Directory
Official Government Source Free Access
South African government parliamentary, judicial, constitutional, presidency, ministry, and department addresses, websites, and phone numbers.
🌐 gov.za
South Africa Jewish Yearbook Database
Official Government Source Free Access
Search the JewishGen database by surname or town for individuals listed in The South African Jewish Year Book database.
South Africa National Archives
Official Government Source Free Access
This site is an extensive index to the material available in the South African National Archives.
South Africa Supreme Court of Appeal Decisions
Official Government Source Free Access
Search for South Africa Supreme Court of Appeal Decisions by name, date, alphabetical order, and recent decisions.
South Africa | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search South Africa legal databases, including courts and case law, legislation, government, Parliament, intellectual property, legal aid, law journals, law reform, and other law indexes.
South Africa | War Deaths
Official Government Source Free Access
Commonwealth War Graves Commission database of South Africa World War I and World War II burials.
🌐 cwgc.org
South Sudan Missing
Official Government Source Free Access
South Sudanese looking for their missing families.
Sudan | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search legal databases for Sweden, including courts and case law, legislation, government, Parliament, foreign investment, and other law indexes.
Swaziland | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Swaziland legal databases, including courts and case law, legislation, government, Parliament, banking, finance, criminal law, and other law indexes.
Tanzania | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Tanzania legal databases. Search courts and case law, legislation, government, Parliament, education, banking & finance, and other law indexes.
Tanzania | Wildlife Photographs
Official Government Source Free Access
Very cool database of wildlife snapshots taken by stationary cameras in the Serengeti desert.
Togo | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Togo legal databases, including courts and case law, education, legislation, government, telecommunications, and other law indexes.
Tunisia | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Tunisia legal databases, including legislation, government, Parliament, intellectual property, criminal law, and other law indexes.
Uganda | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Uganda legal databases, including education, courts and case law, government, legislation, Parliament, lawyers, and other law indexes.
Western Sahara | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search this WorldLII hosted site for Legal Information on inter-governmental organizations in the Western Sahara.
Zambia | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Zambia legal databases, including courts and case law, education, legislation, government, Parliament, land law, and other law indexes.
Zimbabwe | Legal Information
Official Government Source Free Access
Search Zimbabwe legal databases, including education, government, legislation, Parliament, labor law, and other law indexes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Africa public records?▼
Use the databases listed above - these are the primary official sources for Africa. International record systems vary - access methods and availability differ from U.S. systems.
Are Africa criminal records publicly searchable?▼
In most countries, criminal records are NOT publicly searchable online. They typically require a formal background check with the subject's consent. This is different from the U.S., where many county court records are publicly accessible.
Why are there fewer databases than U.S. states?▼
Most countries do not make the same range of public records freely searchable online as U.S. states do. Many international records require registration, fees, or formal government requests. What is listed here represents the best available free online access.
More International Records
Last reviewed: May 25, 2026