CAC annual returns requirements for limited liability company
Filing annual returns for a private limited company involves more documentation than a business name filing, since companies have shareholders, directors, and share capital structures that CAC needs to keep current on record. Here’s exactly what’s required.
1. Access to the Company’s CAC Portal Account
You’ll need active login credentials for your company’s account on the CAC portal (icrp.cac.gov.ng). If the company was registered by an agent or lawyer on your behalf, make sure you have access to the account before your filing deadline approaches — recovering lost portal access can take time you don’t want to lose close to a deadline.
2. Confirmation (or Update) of Current Company Details
The filing requires you to confirm, and update if necessary:
- Registered office address
- Details of all current directors
- Details of all current shareholders
- Share capital structure
- Nature of business/principal activity
If anything has changed since your last filing — a new director appointed, a shareholder change, a change of address — this needs to be reflected as part of, or alongside, the annual returns filing.
3. Financial Statements or a Statement of Affairs
Companies are generally required to submit financial statements for the period covered by the return. Smaller or dormant companies may instead submit a Statement of Affairs, a simpler declaration confirming the company’s financial position where full audited accounts aren’t required or available. Which applies to you depends on your company’s size classification and trading status.
4. Persons with Significant Control (PSC) Details
Where applicable, details of individuals or entities holding significant control over the company (typically 5% or more shareholding, per CAC’s definition) need to be current and accurate on the filing. For most companies, this is auto-populated by the portal from the Statement of Issued Capital already on file, and simply needs to be reviewed rather than re-entered.
5. Payment of the Filing Fee
The standard filing fee for a private limited company is approximately ₦5,000–₦10,000 for an on-time filing. If you’re filing for a prior outstanding year, you’ll also need to pay the applicable late filing penalty for that year, and each outstanding year must be filed and paid for separately, starting with the earliest.
The Filing Process, Step by Step
- Log into the CAC portal
- Navigate to the annual returns filing option
- Review and confirm (or update) company details
- Upload financial statements or Statement of Affairs
- Review PSC information
- Pay the filing fee (plus any penalty, if applicable)
- Submit for CAC processing and approval
- Download the filing confirmation once approved — this restores or confirms “Active” status on the CAC register
Timing
Companies are generally expected to file within 42 days of their Annual General Meeting. Missing this window doesn’t stop you from filing — it just means the late filing penalty starts applying for that year.
Bottom line: the core requirements for a limited liability company boil down to current company details, appropriate financial documentation, and the filing fee — the process itself is straightforward as long as your company records are accurate and you’re not trying to file multiple overdue years at once.
CAC annual returns requirements for limited liability company
