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CAC company registration portal step by step guide

Registering a company in Nigeria no longer means standing in line at a CAC office. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) now runs a fully digital Company Registration Portal (CRP), letting you reserve a name, file incorporation documents, pay fees, and download your Certificate of Incorporation entirely online — no lawyer or accredited agent required for most private companies.

Here’s exactly how to use the portal from start to finish.

What Is the CAC Company Registration Portal?

The CRP is CAC’s official online platform for business registration, accessible at icrp.cac.gov.ng. It handles the full lifecycle of incorporation: name reservation, pre-incorporation filing, document uploads, fee payment, and certificate issuance. The portal is also integrated with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), so directors’ details are checked in real time against their National Identification Number (NIN) records — meaning accuracy matters more than ever.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Have these ready before logging in, to avoid delays:

• Two proposed company names, in order of preference
• Directors’ and shareholders’ details: full names, NIN, phone numbers, email addresses, residential addresses, and dates of birth
• Valid government-issued ID for each director/shareholder (scan in color — black-and-white scans are frequently rejected)
• Passport photographs for each director/shareholder
• A Nigerian registered office address
• Details of share capital and how shares are allocated among shareholders
• A company objects/business description — a brief statement of what the company will do

Step-by-Step: Registering a Company on the CRP

Step 1: Create Your Account

Visit the official portal and sign up for an account using a valid email address and phone number. You’ll typically need to verify your identity through your NIN as part of account creation.

Step 2: Reserve Your Company Name

Log in and navigate to “New Name Reservation.” Enter your two preferred company names in order of priority. Avoid names that are:

• Identical or too similar to an already registered business
• Generic or common (e.g., “Global Ventures,” “Modern Services”) — these are frequently rejected
• Implying government affiliation or endorsement without special consent

Pay the name reservation fee (a small amount, typically processed via Remita). CAC will approve or reject your proposed name within a short window — check your dashboard for updates.

Step 3: Start a New Registration

Once your name is approved and reserved, go to “New Registration” on your dashboard and select your business structure (Business Name, Private Limited Company, Public Company, or Incorporated Trustees).

Step 4: Fill in Company Details

Provide:

• Registered office address
• Nature of business/company objects
• Share capital and share allocation
• Director(s) and shareholder(s) information

The CAC portal provides generic templates for your Memorandum and Articles of Association, but for complex ownership structures or specialized business objects, professional legal input is worth considering.

Step 5: Upload Supporting Documents

Upload scanned copies of:

• Valid ID for each director/shareholder
• Passport photographs
• Signatures (electronic, where required)
• Proof of registered address, if requested

Double-check every entry against the uploaded documents before submitting — mismatches between typed data and ID documents are one of the most common causes of rejection or “query” flags.

Step 6: Pay the Prescribed Fees

Your dashboard will display the applicable registration fees based on your business structure and share capital. Follow the payment prompts (usually via Remita) to complete payment.

Step 7: Await Review and Respond to Queries

A CAC registrar reviews your application. Check your dashboard regularly — if the registrar needs clarification or additional information, they’ll raise a “Query” that you must respond to before approval can proceed.

Step 8: Download Your Certificate

Once approved, download your Certificate of Incorporation and Certified True Copy (CTC) of your company details directly from the portal. These digital documents are the legally recognized originals — no physical certificate is issued.

How Long Does It Take?

Processing times vary by business structure:

• Business Names: Often same-day to 7 working days
• Private Limited Companies: Roughly 5–20 working days
• Incorporated Trustees (NGOs): Considerably longer, often 25–45 working days, due to the mandatory newspaper publication and objection period

Timelines depend heavily on how complete and accurate your initial application is.

What About Fees?

CAC fees vary by business structure and, for companies, by share capital, and they are periodically revised. As a general guide, business name registration tends to be the cheapest option, while limited company fees scale with share capital. Always check the current fee schedule on your CRP dashboard before paying, rather than relying on figures from older guides.

Common Mistakes That Cause Delays

• Mismatched details between what you type and what appears on directors’ NIN/ID records
• Black-and-white ID scans — always upload color scans
• Generic or overly similar company names
• Incomplete share capital or allocation details
• Not checking the dashboard regularly for registrar queries, which can leave an application stalled indefinitely

After You Get Your Certificate

Once incorporated, your next steps typically include:

• Confirming your Tax ID/TIN — for many companies, this is now automatically generated and linked to your certificate
• Opening a corporate bank account
• Registering for VAT, PAYE, and other applicable taxes
• Enrolling for ongoing compliance (annual returns, etc.)

FAQs

Do I need a lawyer to register a company on the CAC portal? Not necessarily. Individuals can register Business Names and even Private Limited Companies themselves, acting as their own “Presenter.” However, complex ownership structures or specialized objects clauses may still benefit from legal input.

What’s the official CAC registration portal? The current Company Registration Portal is at icrp.cac.gov.ng. CAC occasionally updates its portal structure, so always confirm you’re on an official cac.gov.ng domain before entering sensitive information.

Can I track my application status online? Yes. Your CRP dashboard shows real-time status updates, including any registrar queries that need a response.

Is the TIN automatically issued with my Certificate of Incorporation? For many newly registered companies, yes — the Tax ID is now generated as part of the incorporation process. It’s still worth verifying this on the official tax authority portal after registration.

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CAC’s portal, fees, and requirements are updated periodically. Always verify current steps and costs on the official CAC website before starting your application.