CAC registration in Nigeria: cost, documents and how it works

Business name or limited company: which should you register?

A business name registers a trading name for a sole proprietor or a partnership. You and the business are the same legal person: you sign contracts in your own right, and you are personally liable for the business's debts. It is the right choice for most traders, artisans, freelancers, consultants and small shops. It gets you a BN number, a certificate, and the ability to open a business bank account in the trading name.

A private limited company (Ltd) is a separate legal entity with its own RC number. It has shareholders who own it and directors who run it (one person can be both). Liability is limited to the share capital, so personal assets are shielded. Companies are needed to bid for most corporate and government contracts, to take on investors, and for many grants, licences and tenders. Running one carries a few more obligations, such as annual returns and keeping company records.

If you expect to raise money, hire staff on contracts or sell to corporates within the next year or two, register the company now. Otherwise a business name is faster, cheaper and enough. You can always incorporate a company later; it is a new registration, not a conversion.

What the CAC asks for

Business name

• Two proposed names, in order of preference
• Nature of the business (what it does)
• A business address in Nigeria
• The proprietor's full name, phone number and email
• A valid means of identification: NIN slip, voter's card, driver's licence or international passport
• A passport photograph

Limited company

• Everything above, for every director and shareholder
• The share capital and how the shares are divided
• The company's objects (what it will do)
• A company secretary, optional for small companies

The specialist collects these on the call and by WhatsApp or email; you do not need to visit a CAC office.

What the price covers

₦33,000 for a business name and ₦60,000 for a company cover the CAC filing and Nata's handling for a standard registration. The CAC's published filing fee is only part of what registration actually costs; agents, lawyers and accountants add a service fee on top, and the figure you are quoted is rarely the figure you pay. On Nata the number in the table is the number that leaves your wallet. If your company's share capital or sector changes the CAC's charges, the specialist tells you before anything is filed.

How long it takes

Once filed, registration usually takes 7 to 14 working days. The call to collect your details happens after payment, and the status in the app moves from pending to processing (filed) to approved.

If something goes wrong

If the CAC rejects both proposed names, the specialist calls you for new ones; you are not charged again. If Nata cannot complete the registration and rejects the request, the full fee is returned to your Nata wallet and the transaction is marked refunded.

Next steps

Read the detailed guides: how to register a business name and how to register a limited company. Once registered, pay your business's electricity and data bills from the same wallet.