Documents you'll need for company registration
Before your lawyer can file your company registration at the CAC, they need specific information and documents from each director and shareholder. Getting these ready before you start speeds up the process significantly — and reduces back-and-forth with your lawyer.
For each director and shareholder
Every director and every shareholder must provide:
- Full legal name — exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID
- Date of birth
- Nigerian mobile number and email address
- Residential address — street address, city, and state
- Valid government-issued photo ID — one of: NIN slip or card, international passport, or permanent voter's card. Driver's licence is generally not accepted by CAC.
- Passport photograph — a recent, clear, passport-sized photo with a white or light background
If a director is also a shareholder (very common), they still provide the above once — you don't need to submit everything twice.
For the company itself
- Proposed company name — already confirmed available via a name check (required before filing)
- Business objectives — a brief description of what your company does and will do. CAC requires a statement of the company's objects. Your lawyer will help you draft this correctly.
- Authorised share capital — minimum ₦1,000,000. Standard structure: 1,000,000 shares at ₦1 each.
- Share allocation — how many shares each shareholder will hold. Must add up to the total issued shares.
- Registered office address — a physical Nigerian address where official correspondence can be sent. It can be your home address, your lawyer's address, or a business address.
What about the company secretary?
A private limited company under CAMA is not required to have a company secretary at the point of incorporation. Many companies are incorporated without one. Your lawyer will advise if your circumstances require one.
Practical tip: If you have multiple directors, collect all their details before you start — even if one is hard to reach. The process can't be completed until all information is received. Starting early saves time.
What happens with these documents?
Your lawyer uses this information to prepare the following documents for CAC filing:
- Memorandum and Articles of Association (MEMART)
- CAC Form 1.1 — application for registration
- Statement of share capital and initial shareholdings
- Consent to Act as Director form for each director
All filings are done digitally through the CAC portal — there is no requirement to physically visit any government office.
Ready to register your company?
Your Adaka lawyer guides you through every document — collection, preparation, and CAC filing — with your payment held in escrow until the certificate is delivered.
Start registration →