What to Do After CAC Registration in Nigeria: A 10-Step Checklist

Getting your Certificate from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) feels like the finish line, but it is really the starting line. A registered business that does nothing else is not yet a working business: it has no tax set-up, no bank account, no online presence and no system to stay compliant. Many owners also forget one thing that catches them out later, annual returns.

This checklist walks you through the ten things to do after registration, in a sensible order, whether you registered a business name or a limited company.

Step 1: Check and store your documents safely

Download your certificate and status report (and, for a company, your Memorandum and Articles of Association) and save copies in at least two places. Check every detail: spelling of the business name, owners’ names, address and business objects. If anything is wrong, correct it now through CAC. Errors discovered when you open a bank account or sign a contract are much harder to fix.

Step 2: Register for tax

Every business needs to understand its tax position from day one. The federal tax authority, previously FIRS, now operates as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), and tax rules were reformed recently, so check current requirements. In practice you should:

• Make sure the business has a tax identification number (TIN) linked to its registration
• Learn which taxes apply: company income tax or personal income tax, VAT if you supply taxable goods or services above the threshold, and PAYE if you employ staff
• Understand filing deadlines, because penalties apply for late returns even when you owe nothing

Small businesses may qualify for reduced or zero company income tax under current rules, but the thresholds are technical, so speak to a qualified tax adviser about your own numbers.

Step 3: Open a business bank account

A dedicated business account keeps personal and business money separate, makes bookkeeping easier and builds a financial record you will need for loans and contracts. Banks usually ask for your certificate, a valid ID for each signatory, proof of address, a passport photograph and your tax details. Requirements differ, so call ahead. For a limited company, you will usually also need a board resolution and your incorporation documents.

Step 4: Set up payment collection

If you sell online or want to accept cards and transfers, open a business account with a payment provider such as Paystack or Flutterwave. A registered business and a business bank account make approval easier and give you higher limits than an individual account.

Step 5: Get a professional email address and domain

An address like name@yourbusiness.com signals credibility in a way that a free email address cannot. It also protects you: you own your domain and can move providers without losing your identity. Register a domain that matches your business name, then set up mailboxes, and secure them with strong passwords and two-factor authentication. We can handle business email and domain setup for you.

Step 6: Build a simple, credible website

Customers now check you online before they call. A website does not have to be elaborate to be effective. At minimum it should explain what you do, who it is for, how much or how to get a quote, your location and contact details, proof such as testimonials or past work, and a clear way to reach you, including WhatsApp. It should load quickly on a phone, because most visitors in Nigeria arrive on mobile.

Make sure the site is also built so Google can find it: sensible page titles, a sitemap, fast loading and a Google Business Profile. See our web development service if you want a site built with search visibility included.

Step 7: Claim your Google Business Profile

A free Google Business Profile helps local customers find you in Google Search and Maps. Add your business name exactly as registered, category, address or service area, phone number, hours and photos, and ask satisfied customers for reviews. Consistency between your CAC name, website and profile helps people and search engines trust you.

Step 8: Put your compliance calendar in place

This is the step most owners skip, and it is where problems begin. CAC requires registered entities to file annual returns, and late filing attracts penalties. CAC has set deadlines around the middle of the year in recent years, and in July 2026 reports said CAC had started a process to strike off about 100,000 companies for non-compliance. Persistent default can lead to being flagged or removed from the register, which affects your bank, contracts and credibility.

Put these in a calendar now:

• Annual returns with CAC every year, from the period CAC specifies after registration
• Tax filings including VAT and PAYE where they apply
• Company records: updating CAC when directors, shareholders, address or share capital change
• Sector licences and renewals if your business is regulated

Deadlines and fees change, so check the latest CAC notices or use a compliance partner. We offer annual returns and compliance support.

Step 9: Check whether you need sector licences

Registration does not authorise every activity. Financial services, food and drug production, schools, health services, security, logistics and others need approvals from regulators such as the Central Bank, NAFDAC, state ministries or professional bodies. Find out before you invest in stock or advertising.

Step 10: Write down your simple operating basics

Before the first sale, set up the basics that keep a business healthy:

• A simple invoice template with your registered name, address and tax details
• Basic bookkeeping, even a spreadsheet, kept from day one
• Written terms for customers: payment, delivery, refunds
• A privacy notice if you collect customers’ personal data, as the Nigeria Data Protection Act applies to businesses that handle it
• Written agreements between co-founders about ownership, roles and what happens if someone leaves

A sensible 30-day plan

Week 1

Verify documents, register for tax, start the bank account application and register your domain.

Week 2

Set up business email, payment accounts and a Google Business Profile.

Week 3

Launch a simple website with your services, contact details and WhatsApp link.

Week 4

Set your compliance calendar, prepare invoice templates and start telling customers you are officially open.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mixing personal and business money
• Ignoring annual returns until penalties build up
• Letting an agent keep control of your registration login or documents
• Using a free email address on your invoices and website
• Waiting months for a “perfect” website instead of launching a simple one

Let us handle the next steps

Calstins helps new businesses go from registration to trading: tax and compliance guidance, business email, a website built to be found on Google, and ongoing support. Book a free 30-minute conversation and we will map out your next 30 days.

This checklist is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Requirements and deadlines change, so confirm current rules with CAC, the Nigeria Revenue Service and a qualified adviser.