Registering and Running a Company with the CAC in 2026

Companies in Nigeria are registered online with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) and the Companies Regulations 2021. In July 2025 the CAC launched a new registration portal, and revised fees took effect in October 2025.

What you need to register a private company

• A company name that the CAC has approved as available
• Form CAC 1.1, which sets out the company's details, directors, shareholders, share capital and persons with significant control
• The Memorandum and Articles of Association (MEMART)
• A statement of compliance, signed by the applicant or their agent, confirming that the requirements of CAMA have been met
• Identification for each director and shareholder: the NIN for Nigerians and a passport for foreigners
• A registered office address in Nigeria

The older forms, such as the separate consent to act as director and the declaration of compliance by a lawyer, belong to the repealed 1990 law. Under CAMA 2020 the statement of compliance is enough.

Small companies

A small private company can have just one director and does not need a company secretary.

How long it takes

The CAC's published service timeline for registration is 24 hours once the name and documents are in order. Queries on the name or documents add time.

Your company's Tax ID

Since January 2026, a company's CAC registration number serves as its Tax ID, so there is no separate Tax ID application after incorporation.

Keeping your company in good standing

Annual returns

Every company must file an annual return each year. In practice the CAC expects it within 42 days after the anniversary of incorporation, and no return is due in the year the company was registered. Business names file their annual returns by 30 June each year.

Changes you must report

• Changes of directors and changes to the registered office: within 14 days
• Allotment of new shares: within 15 days

Persons with significant control

Anyone who holds 5% or more of the shares or voting rights, or otherwise controls the company, is a person with significant control (PSC). They must tell the company within 7 days, and the company must file the details with the CAC within one month.

Penalties and the 2026 strike off notice

Since 1 January 2024 the CAC has fully applied penalties for late annual returns: ₦5,000 for each year for a small company and ₦10,000 for each year for other private companies, plus ₦1,000 for each year for every director and officer.

In July 2026 the CAC published a notice listing more than 100,000 companies that had not filed annual returns and PSC information. They were given 90 days to file or be struck off the register. If your company has missed filings, check the list and file now.

When to get a lawyer

Registration is simple for a straightforward company, but get advice where there are foreign shareholders, several classes of shares, or a regulated business such as finance or insurance.