This is something most people don’t realize until they’re knee-deep in the name registration process: CAC doesn’t charge the same fees for every business type. This post reveals all CAC Fees for Different Business Types to help you make informed decisions before you start.
A business name costs different from a private limited company. A public company pays more than a private one. An NGO has its own fee structure entirely. And if you’re setting up a limited liability partnership? That’s another category altogether.
If you’re trying to figure out what you’ll actually pay based on your specific business structure, this guide breaks it down for you.
The 6 Main Business Types CAC Recognizes
Before we get into fees, let’s clarify what we’re talking about. CAC groups businesses into these main categories:
- Business Name (BN) – Sole proprietorship or partnership trading under a registered name
- Private Company Limited by Shares (LTD) – Most common structure for small to medium businesses
- Public Company Limited by Shares (PLC) – Larger companies that can offer shares to the public
- Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) – Usually NGOs, associations, clubs
- Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) – Hybrid between partnership and company
- Limited Partnership (LP) – Traditional partnership with limited and general partners
Each one has different requirements, different regulatory obligations, and yes, different fees.
Let’s go through them one by one.
CAC Fees for Different Business Types
Business Name (BN) Fees
This is the simplest and cheapest structure. If you’re a solo entrepreneur or small partnership, this is probably where you’re starting.
Registration Costs
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name Reservation | ₦1000 |
| Name Reservation (Restricted Words) | ₦5,000 |
| Registration + CTC | ₦20,000 |
| Total (Standard) | ₦21,000 |
What you get: A registered business name you can use for trading, open a business bank account, and issue receipts/invoices under.
What you don’t get: Limited liability protection. You and your business are legally the same entity, meaning your personal assets are at risk if the business faces liabilities.
Post-Registration Fees (Business Names)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦3,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦10,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Cessation (Closing Business) | ₦10,000 |
| Voluntary Strike-off | ₦10,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦10,000 |
| Address Restriction | ₦25,000 |
Annual compliance cost: ₦3,000/year for annual returns. That’s it.
Real example: Chioma wants to register “Chioma’s Catering Services” as a business name.
- Name reservation: ₦500
- Registration: ₦10,000
- Total upfront cost: ₦10,500
- Annual cost: ₦3,000
This is why business names are popular for small businesses and side hustles. Low barrier to entry, minimal annual costs.
Private Company Limited by Shares (LTD)
This is the most common structure for serious businesses in Nigeria. It gives you limited liability protection and a separate legal identity from the owners.
Registration Costs
Here’s where it gets more complex. Fees depend on your issued share capital.
Small Company (Issued Capital ≤ ₦1M)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name Reservation | ₦500 |
| Incorporation | ₦10,000 |
| Total | ₦10,500 |
Private Company (Issued Capital ₦1M – ₦500M)
Formula: ₦5,000 for every ₦1 million (or part thereof)
Examples:
- ₦5M capital → ₦5,000 × 5 = ₦25,000 + ₦500 = ₦25,500 total
- ₦50M capital → ₦5,000 × 50 = ₦250,000 + ₦500 = ₦250,500 total
- ₦120M capital → ₦5,000 × 120 = ₦600,000 + ₦500 = ₦600,500 total
Private Company (Issued Capital > ₦500M)
Formula: ₦10,000 for every ₦1 million (or part thereof)
Examples:
- ₦600M capital → ₦10,000 × 600 = ₦6,000,000 + ₦500 = ₦6,000,500 total
- ₦1B capital → ₦10,000 × 1,000 = ₦10,000,000 + ₦500 = ₦10,000,500 total
Post-Registration Fees (Private LTD)
Small Company
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦5,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦10,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Voluntary Strike-off | ₦25,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦20,000 |
| Address Restriction (Director) | ₦25,000 |
| AGM Extension | Not applicable |
| Historical Search (per report) | ₦20,000 |
| Due Diligence Search | ₦50,000 |
Private Company (Other than Small)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦5,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦20,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Voluntary Strike-off | ₦50,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦30,000 |
| Address Restriction (Director) | ₦25,000 |
| AGM Extension | ₦50,000 |
| Historical Search (per report) | ₦20,000 |
| Due Diligence Search | ₦50,000 |
Annual compliance cost: Minimum ₦5,000/year for annual returns. Add ₦5,000 if you need a CTC of your filed returns.
Real example: Tunde is registering “Tech Solutions Nigeria Limited” with ₦10M issued share capital.
- Name reservation: ₦500
- Incorporation: ₦5,000 × 10 = ₦50,000
- Total upfront cost: ₦50,500
- Annual cost: ₦5,000 (just returns)
If Tunde later needs to close the company:
- Strike-off fee: ₦50,000
Public Company Limited by Shares (PLC)
Public companies have stricter regulations and higher fees across the board.
Registration Costs
PLC (Issued Capital ≤ ₦1M)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name Reservation | ₦500 |
| Incorporation | ₦20,000 |
| Total | ₦20,500 |
PLC (Issued Capital ₦1M – ₦500M)
Formula: ₦10,000 for every ₦1 million (or part thereof)
Examples:
- ₦10M capital → ₦10,000 × 10 = ₦100,000 + ₦500 = ₦100,500 total
- ₦250M capital → ₦10,000 × 250 = ₦2,500,000 + ₦500 = ₦2,500,500 total
PLC (Issued Capital > ₦500M)
Formula: ₦15,000 for every ₦1 million (or part thereof)
Examples:
- ₦750M capital → ₦15,000 × 750 = ₦11,250,000 + ₦500 = ₦11,250,500 total
- ₦2B capital → ₦15,000 × 2,000 = ₦30,000,000 + ₦500 = ₦30,000,500 total
Post-Registration Fees (PLC)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦10,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦50,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Voluntary Strike-off | ₦100,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦50,000 |
| Address Restriction (Director) | ₦50,000 |
| AGM Extension | ₦100,000 |
| Historical Search (per report) | ₦20,000 |
| Due Diligence Search | ₦50,000 |
Annual compliance cost: ₦10,000/year minimum. But realistically, PLCs have more complex compliance requirements (audited accounts, multiple filings), so actual costs are higher.
Notice the pattern? Public companies pay roughly double what private companies pay for most services. Strike-off for a PLC is ₦100,000 vs ₦50,000 for a private company.
Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG)
This is the structure for NGOs, religious organizations, professional associations, clubs, and non-profits.
Registration Costs
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name Reservation | ₦500 |
| Name Reservation (Restricted Words) | ₦5,000 |
| Registration + CTC | ₦20,000 |
| Total (Standard) | ₦20,500 |
Key difference: No share capital. Instead, members guarantee to contribute a specified amount (usually ₦100 – ₦1,000) if the organization is wound up.
Post-Registration Fees (CLG)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦5,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦20,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Voluntary Strike-off | ₦50,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦30,000 |
| Address Restriction (Trustee) | ₦25,000 |
| AGM Extension | ₦50,000 |
| Historical Search (per report) | ₦20,000 |
| Due Diligence Search | ₦50,000 |
Annual compliance cost: ₦5,000/year for annual returns.
Real example: Ada is registering “Youth Empowerment Initiative” as an NGO.
- Name reservation: ₦500
- Registration: ₦20,000
- Total upfront cost: ₦20,500
- Annual cost: ₦5,000
Same pricing whether you’re registering a small community group or a large foundation.
Incorporated Trustees (IT)
This is another structure commonly used for NGOs, religious bodies, and charitable organizations. Often confused with CLG, but legally different.
Registration Costs
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name Reservation | ₦5,000 |
| Registration + CTC | ₦35,000 |
| Total | ₦40,000 |
Notice: Name reservation alone costs ₦5,000 (vs ₦500 for other structures).
Post-Registration Fees (IT)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦5,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦25,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Notice of Dissolution | ₦20,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦25,000 |
| Address Restriction (Trustee) | ₦25,000 |
| Historical Search (10+ years old) | ₦10,000 |
Annual compliance cost: ₦5,000/year.
Real example: Pastor John is registering “Grace Chapel Ministries” as incorporated trustees.
- Name reservation: ₦5,000
- Registration: ₦35,000
- Total upfront cost: ₦40,000
- Annual cost: ₦5,000
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
This is a hybrid structure popular with professional service firms (law firms, accounting firms, consulting practices).
Registration Costs
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name Reservation | ₦500 |
| Name Reservation (Restricted Words) | ₦5,000 |
| Registration + CTC | ₦20,000 |
| Total (Standard) | ₦20,500 |
Post-Registration Fees (LLP)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦5,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦10,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Voluntary Strike-off | ₦25,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦30,000 |
| Address Restriction (Partner) | ₦30,000 |
| Relisting | ₦50,000 |
| Registration of Charges | ₦25,000 or 0.35% (whichever higher) |
Annual compliance cost: ₦5,000/year for annual returns.
Real example: Three lawyers are setting up “Okonkwo, Adeyemi & Partners LLP.”
- Name reservation: ₦500
- Registration: ₦20,000
- Total upfront cost: ₦20,500
- Annual cost: ₦5,000
Limited Partnership (LP)
Less common than LLP, but used when you want both general partners (with unlimited liability) and limited partners (with limited liability).
Registration Costs
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name Reservation | ₦500 |
| Name Reservation (Restricted Words) | ₦5,000 |
| Registration + CTC | ₦15,000 |
| Total (Standard) | ₦15,500 |
Post-Registration Fees (LP)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual Returns | ₦5,000 |
| Change of Name | ₦10,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Voluntary Strike-off | ₦25,000 |
| Same-Day Filing | +₦25,000 |
| Address Restriction (Partner) | ₦25,000 |
| Relisting | ₦25,000 |
Annual compliance cost: ₦5,000/year for annual returns.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Let’s put everything together so you can see the differences at a glance.
Registration Costs Comparison
| Business Type | Minimum Registration Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business Name | ₦10,500 | Fixed fee |
| Small Company (LTD) | ₦10,500 | Share capital ≤ ₦1M |
| Private Company (LTD) | ₦25,500+ | Scales with share capital |
| Public Company (PLC) | ₦20,500+ | Higher rates than private |
| Limited by Guarantee (CLG) | ₦20,500 | Fixed fee, no share capital |
| Incorporated Trustees (IT) | ₦40,000 | Highest fixed registration fee |
| Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) | ₦20,500 | Fixed fee |
| Limited Partnership (LP) | ₦15,500 | Fixed fee |
Annual Compliance Comparison
| Business Type | Annual Returns Fee | Change of Name | Strike-off Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Name | ₦3,000 | ₦10,000 | ₦10,000 |
| Small Company (LTD) | ₦5,000 | ₦10,000 | ₦25,000 |
| Private Company (LTD) | ₦5,000 | ₦20,000 | ₦50,000 |
| Public Company (PLC) | ₦10,000 | ₦50,000 | ₦100,000 |
| Limited by Guarantee (CLG) | ₦5,000 | ₦20,000 | ₦50,000 |
| Incorporated Trustees (IT) | ₦5,000 | ₦25,000 | N/A (Dissolution: ₦20,000) |
| Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) | ₦5,000 | ₦10,000 | ₦25,000 |
| Limited Partnership (LP) | ₦5,000 | ₦10,000 | ₦25,000 |
Key Patterns You’ll Notice
- Business names are cheapest – both upfront and ongoing
- Public companies pay the most – roughly double private company fees
- Incorporated trustees have the highest fixed registration – ₦40,000 vs ₦20,500 for most others
- Annual returns are consistent – ₦5,000 for most structures (except BN at ₦3,000 and PLC at ₦10,000)
- Strike-offs scale with complexity – ₦10,000 for BN, up to ₦100,000 for PLC
Additional Costs Common Across All Types
Regardless of your business type, these fees apply when you use these services:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certified True Copy (per document) | ₦5,000 |
| Status Report | ₦5,000 |
| Due Diligence Search | ₦50,000 |
| Historical Search Reports | ₦20,000 – ₦30,000 |
| Registration of Charges | ₦25,000 or 0.35% (whichever higher) |
| Memorandum of Satisfaction | ₦25,000 |
These are service-specific, not structure-specific.
Which Structure Should You Choose? (Based on Cost)
Cost shouldn’t be your only consideration, but if budget is tight, here’s the reality:
Tightest budget: Business Name (₦10,500 upfront, ₦3,000/year)
Best value for real businesses: Small Company LTD (₦10,500 upfront, ₦5,000/year) – gives you limited liability at basically the same cost as a business name
For NGOs on a budget: Limited by Guarantee (₦20,500 upfront, ₦5,000/year) – half the cost of Incorporated Trustees
For professional partnerships: LLP (₦20,500 upfront, ₦5,000/year) – good middle ground with liability protection
For larger capital: Private Company LTD – fees scale with capital, but you get the protection and credibility
For going public: PLC – expensive upfront and ongoing, but necessary if you plan to raise capital publicly
Common Cost Mistakes People Make
Mistake 1: Registering a business name when they need an LTD
You save ₦0 initially (both cost ₦10,500 for small companies), but you lose limited liability protection. Not worth it.
Mistake 2: Choosing IT over CLG without knowing the difference
IT costs ₦40,000 to register vs ₦20,500 for CLG. Both work for NGOs, but IT has specific use cases (mostly religious bodies and certain associations). Know which one you actually need.
Mistake 3: Setting unrealistically high share capital
Your ₦500M share capital sounds impressive until you realize registration just cost you ₦2,500,000. Start with what you actually have, you can increase it later.
Mistake 4: Not budgeting for post-registration costs
You paid for registration, great. But did you budget for:
- Opening a bank account? (bank charges)
- Tax registration? (separate process)
- Annual returns every year?
- CTCs when you need them?
Registration is just the beginning.
Mistake 5: Assuming all private companies pay the same fees
Small companies (≤₦1M capital) pay ₦10,000 to register. Private companies with ₦100M capital pay ₦500,000. Huge difference.
Quick Decision Guide: Which Structure Do You Need?
Choose Business Name if:
- You’re a solo entrepreneur or small partnership
- You’re testing a business idea
- You don’t need limited liability protection
- Budget is extremely tight
Choose Private Company (LTD) if:
- You’re running a serious business
- You want limited liability protection
- You plan to raise investment
- You’re building something long-term
Choose Public Company (PLC) if:
- You plan to list on the stock exchange
- You need to raise capital from the public
- You have substantial capital already
- You can handle stricter compliance requirements
Choose Limited by Guarantee (CLG) if:
- You’re setting up an NGO, association, or club
- You want a lower registration cost than IT
- You don’t need a trustee structure
Choose Incorporated Trustees (IT) if:
- You’re registering a religious organization
- You need a trustee-based governance structure
- You’re fine with the higher registration cost
Choose LLP if:
- You’re professionals (lawyers, accountants, consultants)
- You want liability protection with partnership flexibility
- All partners are actively involved
Choose Limited Partnership (LP) if:
- You need a mix of general and limited partners
- Some partners want limited liability, others will manage actively
- You’re comfortable with a less common structure
The Bottom Line
CAC fees vary significantly based on your business type, and choosing the right structure matters more than just saving a few thousand naira upfront.
Most Nigerian businesses fall into three categories:
- Business Names – cheapest, no liability protection
- Small Company LTD – same initial cost as business name, but with liability protection
- Private Company LTD – scalable, credible, standard for serious businesses
If you’re starting a real business (not just testing an idea), go for an LTD structure. The cost difference is negligible for small companies, and the legal protection is worth it.
If you’re setting up an NGO, CLG is usually the way to go unless you specifically need IT status for religious or governance reasons.
And if you’re professional service providers, LLP gives you the best of both worlds.
Need help choosing the right structure and handling your CAC registration? Contact Qrafteq Brand Systems – we’ll walk you through the options and handle the entire process for you.
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Related Reading:
- New CAC Fees 2025: Full List of Increased Prices
- How to Calculate Your CAC Fees in 2025
- CAC Fees 2025 vs 2024: What Changed?
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All fees accurate as of October 2025 based on CAC’s official fee schedule. However, there are signs there are increased fee for pre-registrations, not only post-registration. Verify current rates at cac.gov.ng before making payments.
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