Calculate the total cost of registering your business with Nigeria's Corporate Affairs Commission. Includes filing fees, stamp duty, legal costs, and all government charges.
Registering a business with Nigeria's Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) is a legal requirement for any business operating in the country. The cost varies significantly depending on whether you're registering a simple business name (sole proprietorship/partnership) or a limited liability company (LLC/LTD).
As of 2025, a business name registration costs NGN 13,500 in government fees alone. A limited company starts at NGN 25,000 for share capital up to NGN 1 million, with additional stamp duty of 0.75% on the share capital. Most people use registered agents or lawyers, which adds NGN 30,000-80,000 to the cost.
A business name is the simplest and cheapest option for small businesses, sole traders, and freelancers. It doesn't create a separate legal entity — you and the business are the same in the eyes of the law. A limited liability company (LLC) creates a separate legal entity that protects your personal assets. It's required for businesses that want to open corporate bank accounts, bid for government contracts, or raise investment.
Yes, you can register directly on the CAC portal (pre.cac.gov.ng). Business name registration is straightforward. However, LLC registration involves preparing Memorandum and Articles of Association, which most people hire a lawyer for (NGN 30,000-80,000).
There is no legally mandated minimum share capital for private companies in Nigeria. However, most companies register with NGN 1,000,000 (1 million) as it's the standard for opening corporate bank accounts and bidding for contracts.
Business name: 2-7 working days. Limited company: 5-14 working days. NGO (CAC/IT): 14-28 working days. Express processing is available for an additional fee.
Yes, all Nigerian commercial banks require a CAC certificate (business name or company) to open a business bank account. You'll also need your TIN (Tax Identification Number), which is now issued automatically during CAC registration. Some banks also require a Company Status Report (obtained from CAC portal for ~₦5,000).
A Business Name (sole proprietorship or partnership) is cheap and simple but creates no separate legal entity — you are personally liable for all business debts. A Limited Liability Company (LLC/LTD) creates a separate legal entity. Your personal assets are protected, and you can raise investment, bid for government contracts, and bring in shareholders. Most serious businesses should register as an LLC.
Stamp duty is a government tax of 0.75% of your company's authorized share capital. For example, if you register with ₦1,000,000 share capital, stamp duty is ₦7,500. This is paid to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) during company registration. It's separate from the CAC registration fee.
CAC imposes late filing penalties of ₦5,000–10,000 per year for companies and ₦1,000–3,000 for business names. After 3 years of non-filing, CAC may strike off your company from the register, making it legally non-existent. You must then apply for re-instatement (an expensive process). Always file annual returns — it's cheap (₦3,000–10,000/year) compared to penalties.
Yes, foreigners can register a private limited company in Nigeria. However, to operate, foreign companies must also obtain a Business Permit from the Ministry of Interior (₦500,000–1,000,000 in government fees) and register with NIPC (Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission). The CAC registration process itself is the same as for Nigerians.
This workspace turns the cac fee and filing reality check result into a reusable matter note, dashboard item and gated PDF checklist. Use the app first, then save the evidence trail.
Benchmarked against LegalZoom, Firstbase, Stripe Atlas and registry portals. The goal is not to copy them; it is to bring the useful workflow pattern into an Africa-first tool with official-source caution and local evidence capture.
This app should help a founder separate official CAC filing costs from agent bundles, name reservation, post-incorporation tax setup, and optional services that are often sold as mandatory.
Before filing, signing, publishing, or sending anything, keep a short record that links the app result to evidence and official-source checks.
Save the country or regime, parties, dates, amounts, selected options, and final output. Add why this matters: Whether the user needs a business name, limited company, trustee or company limited by guarantee route.
Check the CAC service page or portal before paying a third party. Also keep the strongest supporting document, receipt, portal reference, ID, contract, policy, or court file beside the generated result.
If you see this risk, pause and get qualified help: A quote that hides the CAC filing fee inside a vague package.