Company Incorporation in Nigeria
Registration of a Nigerian entity with the Corporate Affairs Commission under CAMA 2020, filed end-to-end on the CAC Company Registration Portal — name reservation (NGN 1,000), then the incorporation application with the MEMART, per-person identification and the mandatory Persons with Significant Control declaration. CAC charges by share capital: NGN 10,000 for every NGN 1,000,000 (or part) for a private company and NGN 20,000 per NGN 1,000,000 for a public company, so a company at the minimum capital pays the NGN 10,000 base. A business name is NGN 10,000 and incorporated trustees NGN 40,000. CAC states that private-company registration takes about 24 hours. A foreign investor incorporates a Nigerian company rather than running a branch — NIPC registration, a Ministry of Interior Business Permit, expatriate quota and a Certificate of Capital Importation follow, and are not included in the CAC fees below.
Compare the structures
Every column is a vehicle you can actually incorporate here, and each is bought on its own terms. Every fact carries where it was read: on the authority’s own page, or — marked Indicative — on a filing platform or publication we name and link. Anything we could not read anywhere is marked Pending verification and confirmed with the authority before you pay.
| Private company limited by shares (Ltd)The default trading and investment vehicle for SMEs, startups and foreign subsidiaries — one shareholder and one director are permitted, up to a maximum of 50 members | Public company limited by shares (Plc)Larger businesses, regulated activities and companies intending to offer shares to the public or list on the NGX — at least two shareholders, three directors and an audit committee | Company limited by guarantee (Ltd/Gte)Non-profit, charitable, educational or professional bodies not distributing profit — no share capital, and the Attorney-General of the Federation's consent is required before incorporation | Business name (sole proprietorship or partnership)Local individual traders, freelancers and partnerships of up to 20 persons wanting the cheapest registered form — NOT available to a foreign investor, who must incorporate a company | Incorporated trustees (IT) — Part F CAMAAssociations, religious bodies, NGOs, clubs and foundations — at least two trustees, a governing constitution and newspaper advertisement of the application before registration | Foreign-owned Nigerian company (incorporation + NIPC)A foreign parent trading in Nigeria — in practice a separate Nigerian company, since a foreign company may not simply operate a branch; exemption from incorporating is exceptional and granted at Federal level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum owners | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Maximum owners | 50 | Pending verification | Pending verification | 20 | Pending verification | Pending verification |
| Minimum directors | 1 | 3 | 1 | Pending verification | Pending verification | 1 |
| Liability | limited | limited | limited | unlimited | limited | limited |
| Foreign ownership | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Tax treatment | Separate taxable person. Companies Income Tax under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (effective 1 Jan 2026): 0% for a 'small com… | Same CIT regime as an Ltd: 0% small company / 30% otherwise under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, plus the 4% Development Levy… | Registered as a company but income applied to its objects; may qualify for tax exemption on income not derived from a tr… | Not a separate corporate taxpayer. A sole proprietor's profits are taxed as Personal Income Tax (PAYE/direct assessment)… | Body corporate holding property for the association; income applied to its objects. Potential tax exemption on non-tradi… | The incorporated Nigerian company is taxed as an Ltd (0%/30% CIT + 4% Development Levy + VAT 7.5%). Note also a Certific… |
| Audit required | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Audit threshold | CAMA 2020 requires companies to file audited financial statements, but 'small companies' are exempted from appointing au… | Mandatory audit; a Plc cannot be a 'small company' and must appoint auditors and (per CAMA) an audit committee. | Subject to audit/annual-return obligations as a registered company. | Pending verification | Must file annual returns and audited accounts with CAC. | As for the Ltd it becomes. |
| Annual compliance | Medium | High | Medium | Low | Medium | High |
| Typical use | A single-shareholder, single-director Ltd (CAMA 2020 permits both, s.18 allows one-person private companies). A foreign … | Companies raising capital from the public or seeking a stock-exchange listing; banks, insurers and other regulated entit… | NGOs, associations and foundations that need corporate personality without a share structure. Requires the Attorney-Gene… | A local sole trader or a partnership of up to 20 persons registered with CAC as a business name (Part E, CAMA 2020). | Registration of the trustees of a non-profit association as a corporate body under Part F of CAMA 2020, following newspa… | Nigeria generally does NOT allow a foreign company to operate through a branch: s.78 CAMA requires a foreign company int… |
What we will need from you
Upload these once. They are stored encrypted and reused across every service you buy from us.
Approved reserved name (CAC name reservation)
Memorandum and Articles of Association (MEMART)
CAC provides model articles; a custom MEMART may be adopted instead.
Registered office address in Nigeria
At least one director and one shareholder, with full details and dated signatures
A single person may be both for a private company. A public company needs at least two shareholders and three directors.
Valid means of identification (NIN, international passport or driver's licence) per director and per shareholder
Per person, not per company — identification is required for every director and every shareholder.
Statement of issued share capital and shareholding
Particulars of any person with significant control (PSC) — beneficial-ownership declaration
Mandatory, and filed as part of the incorporation flow on the CAC portal.
For a foreign individual: international passport. For a foreign body-corporate shareholder: its certificate of incorporation and board resolution
Foreign corporate documents are typically notarised and apostilled, or consularised where the country is not a Hague Apostille party. A company with foreign participation is additionally reported to need NGN 100,000,000 issued share capital to obtain a Business Permit and expatriate quota (a 2022 Federal Ministry of Interior expatriate-quota guideline seen only in law-firm sources) — NOT confirmed from a primary government page, so it must not be presented as a firm requirement.
Cost breakdown
Our fee and the government’s are always separate lines. Government fees are passed through at exactly what the authority charges — we add nothing to them.
| Name reservation / availability — companyVERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025 (Companies table, item 1): NGN 1,000, rising to NGN 5,000 where restricted words apply. | NGN 1,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Incorporation of a company with share capital — first NGN 1,000,000 of issued capital (private)VERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025: NGN 10,000 for every NGN 1,000,000 of share capital or part thereof for private companies, so the minimum issued capital of NGN 100,000 attracts the NGN 10,000 base charged on the first band. | NGN 10,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Each additional NGN 1,000,000 (or part) of issued share capital, and any later increase — privateonly if it appliesVERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025. The same NGN 10,000 per million applies to an increase in issued share capital. Worked from the gazette rate: a foreign-owned Ltd capitalised at NGN 100,000,000 pays 100 x NGN 10,000 = NGN 1,000,000 in CAC registration fees. | NGN 10,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Per NGN 1,000,000 (or part) of issued share capital — public companyonly if it appliesVERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025: a public company pays NGN 20,000 for every NGN 1,000,000 of share capital or part thereof. | NGN 20,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Incorporation of a company limited by guarantee — per NGN 1,000,000 (or part) of guaranteeonly if it appliesVERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025 (Ltd/Gte column): NGN 10,000 for every NGN 1,000,000 or part thereof, including a certified true copy of the first incorporation documents at no additional charge. | NGN 10,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Business name — registration and CTC of registration documentsonly if it appliesVERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025 (Business Names table, item 3): NGN 10,000, plus NGN 1,000 name reservation (item 1). | NGN 10,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Incorporated trustees — registration and CTC of registration documentsonly if it appliesVERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025 (Incorporated Trustees table, item 2): NGN 40,000. Name reservation for incorporated trustees is NGN 5,000 (item 1), not NGN 1,000. | NGN 40,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Notice of Exemption of Foreign Companies — to operate without incorporating (rare)only if it appliesVERIFIED, CAC gazette 29 May 2025 (Foreign Companies table, item 1): NGN 100,000. Exemption from the CAMA duty to incorporate is exceptional and granted at Federal level; an exempted foreign company then files an Annual Report at NGN 100,000 (item 2). | NGN 100,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Stamp duty on share capital (FIRS-administered, separate from CAC)one line of this schedule appliesCheck the stamp-duty schedule on firs.gov.ng before relying on a figure. | Confirmed before payment |
| NIPC registration fee (foreign participation)only if it appliesCheck nipc.gov.ng. | Confirmed before payment |
| Business Permit — Federal Ministry of Interior (foreign participation)only if it applies | Confirmed before payment |
| Comriq professional fee | Fixed fee within 1 business day |
These are the authority’s published lines. Which of them apply depends on your filing — a schedule by headcount, capital or entity type is one line, not all of them — and the applicable line is confirmed before payment, at cost.
How it runs
You will see these exact stages update in your client portal as we progress.
Reserve company name
Reserve an available name on the CAC portal (NGN 1,000). Same-day for requests submitted before the daily cut-off.
File incorporation application
Complete the application, upload the MEMART, director and shareholder identification and the PSC declaration, and pay the CAC fees plus stamp duty.
Certificate of Incorporation
CAC issues the Certificate of Incorporation and status report; CAC states that private-company registration takes about 24 hours.
FIRS Tax Identification Number (TIN)
A TIN is issued through FIRS on incorporation; the company is then registered for Companies Income Tax and, where applicable, VAT.
NIPC + Business Permit (foreign-owned only)
For any foreign participation: register with NIPC, obtain a Business Permit from the Federal Ministry of Interior, apply for expatriate quota and obtain a Certificate of Capital Importation through an authorised dealer bank.
Ready to start?
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Verified September 2026
Requirements and statutory fees are set by Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and change without notice. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your engagement letter and quote are the binding documents.