1 – Register company name.

• Search Corporate Affairs Commission website for the availability of company name (www.cac.gov.ng). Online search can be done immediately upon e-payment from accredited bank.

NGN200

1 day

2 – Prepare incorporation documents and pay stamp duty.

• Prepare and print Memorandum and Articles of Association.
• Complete required forms.
• Pay stamp duty at Stamp Duty Office in Kaduna. Memorandum and Articles of Association are stamped by the Federal Board of Inland Revenue Services.

NGN12,230

4 days

3 – Submit Declaration of Compliance for Companies and Allied Matters Act.

• Confirm compliance with Companies and Allied Matters Act with Declaration of Compliance by company’s barrister / solicitor or company’s director / secretary (stated in Memorandum and Articles of Association).
• File declaration at the High Court.

[Form: CAC1 - www.cacnigeria.org/downloads/cac_01.pdf]

NGN100

1 day

4 - Register company with Corporate Affairs Commission and pay incorporation fees.

• Cost: NGN18,000 (NGN500 for incorporation forms + NGN10,000 for incorporation fees (an extra NGN50,000 for same-day processing)) + NGN500 for each additional stamped copy of Memorandum and Articles of Association + NGN3,000 for certified true copy of memorandum and articles of association + NGN2,000 for certified true copy of particulars of directors + NGN 2,000 for certified true copy of shareholders).
• Payment can be made to any of the receiving banks designated by the Corporate Affairs Commission.

NGN18,000

5 - Register company with the Corporate Affairs Commission's zonal office in Kaduna. Required documents are:

• Name reservation and availability form
• Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Notice of registered address (Form CAC 3 - www.cacnigeria.org/ downloads
  /cac_03.pdf)
• Particulars of Directors (Form CAC 7 - www.cacnigeria.org/ downloads
  /cac_07.pdf)
• Statement of capital and allotment of returns (Form CAC 2 - www.cacnigeria.org /downloads
  /cac_02.pdf)

[Forms: CAC 2, 3, and 7]

No cost

14 days

6 – Register with Integrated Tax Office of the Federal Board of Inland Revenue and Department of the Ministry of Finance for income tax and VAT at the nearest Federal Tax Office to place of business. Required documents are:

• Written letter to tax authority, stating intentions of applying for tax clearance certificate
• Taxpayer registration input form (TRIF/2006/001 COYS - firs.gov.ng/download1/
  taxregformcompanies.pdf)
• Completed Federal Board of Inland Revenue questionnaire
• Copy of Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Names and addresses of company directors
• Copy of Certificate of Incorporation
• Name and address of tax adviser
• Letter of appointment of tax adviser and proof of acceptance

Companies required to register for VAT must complete VAT registration form (VAT Form 001, obtainable free of charge from all FIRS offices) and return it to nearest integrated tax office. Company will be issued Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). This must be done within 6 months from start of business.
[Forms: TRIF/2006/001 COYS, VAT Form 001]

No cost

5 days

7 – Register personal income tax at the State Tax Office.

• Employer must register with the state tax authority for deduction of income tax for employees. Once application is filed, with a copy of Certificate of Incorporation, a reference file is opened for the company.

No cost

8 – Obtain business premises permit from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and pay fees. The following documents are needed:

• Application form.

• Evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission.
• Tax clearance certificate.

Fees range between NGN700 and NGN20,000. For a medium sized company, the fee is NGN7,000 and NGN5,000 for annual renewals.

NGN700 – 20,000

3 days

9 – Receive an inspection from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• The Ministry of Commerce may conduct an inspection of the premises to confirm the location of the business and determine the type of business activity.

No cost

1 day