Business Registration

How To Register A Foreign Company In Nigeria

Foreign company registration in Nigeria is the main option a foreign entity/company can acquire a separate legal entity in Nigeria and legitimately carry on business. A foreign company may open for business as a secondary establishment, such as a representative office, agency, branch, or subsidiary in Nigeria. However, such a company must fulfill certain legal requirements necessary to obtain local incorporation of the Nigerian subsidiary as a separate legal entity before starting any business.

The law governing the incorporation of companies in Nigeria Companies and Allied Matters ct (CAMA) 2020 and the government agency in charge of incorporation is the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

In the same vein, every foreign individual seeking to engage in any form of business in Nigeria must also incorporate a company and meet other requirements to set up a business in Nigeria as stipulated by requisite laws.

A foreign company or foreign national may not carry on business in Nigeria or exercise any of the powers of a registered company until so incorporated.

STEPS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR A FOREIGNER TO CARRY ON BUSINESS IN NIGERIA

 

  1. Company registration with CAC following the CAMA
  2. Registration with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC)
  3. Tax registration and the nearby tax office to the registered address
  4. Obtainment of Nigerian Business Permit & Expatriate Quotas where an expatriate will be coming to work in Nigeria or acquire Nigerian residency status.
  5. Obtaining a residence permit, otherwise known as the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC), where an expatriate will be coming to Nigeria to work or become a signatory to a Nigerian bank account.
  6. Obtainment of an export certificate in case the registered company intends to export goods or raw materials out of Nigeria.
  7. Obtainment of requisite business license where the company intends to engage in a specialized sector that requires a government agency’s approval or permit.

 

We have within KanInvest, a section called the One Stop Service Centre (OSSC) which hosts a specialist from the Registrar of Companies who will be in a position to facilitate this process for you.