If you are researching how to register a business in Nigeria, knowing the actual Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) charges is essential. Online advertisements may quote one all-inclusive price, older blog posts another, and the CAC portal may display additional statutory or payment costs. The difference is not necessarily fraud: a professional's service fee and the government's registration fee are separate things.
In 2026, the main official reference is CAC's New Schedule of Fees, published in the Federal Government Gazette on 29 May 2025 . This guide explains those published rates, shows worked company-incorporation calculations, and identifies costs that the schedule does not include. Always confirm your final assessment on CAC's official iCRP portal before payment.
How much is CAC business-name registration in 2026?
For an ordinary sole-proprietor or partnership business name, the published base charges are straightforward:
| Official service | CAC charge |
|---|---|
| Ordinary name reservation | ₦1,000 |
| Business-name registration, including the listed certified registration documents | ₦20,000 |
| Base government total | ₦21,000 |
That ₦21,000 is not necessarily the final checkout amount. Payment processing, an optional agent, special name consent or other services may add charges. A business name does not issue company shares, so the share-capital duty discussed later is not part of this ordinary business-name example.
CAC's own business-name guidance states that individual proprietors can complete registration themselves without engaging a lawyer, accountant or chartered secretary.
Official CAC registration fees by business structure
The cost depends on what legal entity you are creating. A business name, a private limited company and incorporated trustees are not interchangeable registrations. The figures below are taken from the CAC gazette, not commercial service-provider quotations.
| Entity type | Ordinary name reservation | Registration or incorporation filing |
|---|---|---|
| Business name | ₦1,000 | ₦20,000 |
| Private company limited by shares | ₦1,000 | ₦10,000 for each ₦1 million of issued share capital, or part thereof |
| Public company with shares | ₦1,000 | ₦20,000 for each ₦1 million of issued share capital, or part thereof |
| Company limited by guarantee | ₦5,000 | ₦40,000 |
| Limited liability partnership (LLP) | ₦1,000 | ₦40,000 |
| Limited partnership (LP) | ₦1,000 | ₦30,000 |
| Incorporated trustees (associations and eligible non-profits) | ₦5,000 | ₦40,000 |
For certain restricted words, the gazette sets a ₦5,000 special name-reservation fee, subject to the entity and applicable approval process. Do not assume a restricted name is automatically approved on payment; CAC may require consent and manual review.
The ₦40,000 filing amounts for companies limited by guarantee, LLPs and incorporated trustees, and the ₦30,000 LP fee, include the certified documents specified in their schedule entries. Other regulatory, publication or professional costs may still arise depending on the structure.
How to calculate private limited company registration fees
For a standard private company with issued share capital, the published CAC filing charge increases in ₦1 million bands. The phrase “or part thereof” is important: ₦1.5 million in issued capital is charged across two ₦1 million bands, not one and a half.
The CAC incorporation fee is therefore ₦10,000 × the number of ₦1 million bands, rounded up. Add the ordinary ₦1,000 name reservation where applicable. Then calculate the separate statutory capital duty and any other actual invoice charges.
The Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Ninth Schedule , published by the National Assembly, lists capital duty on nominal shares at 0.75%. This is a tax duty, not a second CAC incorporation fee. The table below applies that published rate to illustrative issued-share-capital values for budgeting.
| Issued share capital | CAC filing | Illustrative 0.75% capital duty | Combined with ₦1,000 reservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₦100,000 | ₦10,000 | ₦750 | ₦11,750 |
| ₦1,000,000 | ₦10,000 | ₦7,500 | ₦18,500 |
| ₦2,500,000 | ₦30,000 | ₦18,750 | ₦49,750 |
| ₦5,000,000 | ₦50,000 | ₦37,500 | ₦88,500 |
These are transparent calculations from published rates, not live portal quotations. They exclude payment-provider charges, document preparation, professional services and special regulatory requirements. Share capital is the company's ownership capital figure; it is not itself a fee paid to the CAC. Particular regulated sectors and foreign-investment arrangements may require higher capital.
Why does an agent quote more than the official fee?
An agent or lawyer may legitimately charge for preparing documents, checking names, advising on shareholding, responding to portal queries and completing filings. That professional work is different from the amount CAC collects. The service quote should tell customers what they are buying.
Before paying a package fee, ask for an itemised breakdown: CAC name reservation, CAC registration or incorporation, stamp duty if applicable, payment fees, professional service fees and any extra consent or publication charges. Ask who will retain the portal login and whether certified documents are included.
A “CAC-approved package” is not a substitute for checking official identity and accreditation where a provider claims to be an accredited agent. CAC's iCRP FAQ distinguishes accredited agents from ordinary users.
Which charges are optional, and which depend on circumstances?
Optional professional assistance: many straightforward business-name registrations can be filed personally. Complex incorporations may warrant qualified legal or accounting help, but there is no single CAC-mandated professional fee for everyone.
Payment-provider charges: the iCRP uses Remita for relevant application payments. Any processing charges displayed at checkout should be checked, rather than estimated from an old receipt.
Restricted names and approvals: certain words, entity types or regulated activities require consent or sector-specific permissions. The gazette includes a separate restricted-word reservation category, but authorisation is not guaranteed.
Company capital duty: the 0.75% duty applies under the relevant tax provisions to capital instruments, and is separate from the CAC filing charge. Verify the exact assessment and any statutory exemption against the transaction.
Special documents and publications: some organisations, particularly incorporated trustees or specialised companies, may face other required steps. Confirm their current requirements rather than assuming they are covered by the table above.
Fees after registration: annual returns and changes
The upfront registration fee is not the business's only possible CAC expense. The May 2025 gazette also provides the following examples of ongoing services:
| Service | Published charge |
|---|---|
| Business-name annual return | ₦5,000 |
| Business-name change of name | ₦10,000 |
| Business-name certified true copy of a document or extract | ₦5,000 each |
| Business-name status report | ₦5,000 |
| Company annual return, ₦100,000 to ₦100 million share-capital band | ₦5,000 |
| Company annual return, above ₦100 million up to ₦500 million | ₦100,000 |
| LLP annual return or listed post-incorporation filing | ₦10,000 each |
| Incorporated trustees annual return | ₦5,000 |
These are the specified filing fees, not estimates of every penalty or accountant's charge. The gazette separately sets late-filing and other penalties. Under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 , business-name annual returns generally fall due by 30 June, other than in the calendar year of registration. Company-return obligations have different rules.
FlyingEze has reported on CAC's action against non-compliant company records . The practical lesson is to set aside an annual compliance budget, not just the money needed to obtain a certificate.
How to pay only the applicable official charges
- Go to the genuine CAC iCRP website and create or sign in to your account.
- Choose the correct entity classification and start a name reservation. Avoid paying for a type of registration you do not actually need.
- Check availability and pay the displayed official reservation charge. Save your AV Code when approved.
- Complete the registration forms, verify personal and entity details, upload requested documents and review the preview.
- Inspect the final payment assessment before paying through the portal's authorised process. Download receipts and, after approval, the certificate and status report.
CAC's portal user guide and updated FAQ describe the workflow, including the AV Code and Remita payment. Names needing consent and company incorporations may require manual approval.
If you need the complete registration instructions instead of only the prices, read FlyingEze's step-by-step 2026 CAC registration guide .
Why older CAC price lists cause confusion
Some archived explanations—including an older section of CAC's own FAQ—still say ordinary name reservation costs ₦500. The newer May 2025 gazette specifies ₦1,000, so the outdated figure should not be used as a 2026 budget.
Similarly, a commercial registration company may publish a ₦40,000 or ₦60,000 package. That may include service fees, but it does not rewrite the government tariff. Always verify against the official schedule and current portal invoice. FlyingEze's earlier article on CAC's service-fee revision provides the background to the newer charges.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum official cost to register a business name in Nigeria in 2026?
The ordinary published base cost is ₦21,000: ₦1,000 name reservation plus ₦20,000 registration. This excludes extra services and payment charges.
How much does a ₦1 million limited company cost to register?
The official CAC filing and ordinary name-reservation charges total ₦11,000. Applying the published 0.75% share-capital duty gives another ₦7,500, for an illustrative ₦18,500 before other charges.
Can I register a CAC business name myself?
Yes. CAC expressly permits proprietors to file business-name registrations online themselves. Professional help is optional for an ordinary application.
Is the cost of an NGO the same as registering a business name?
No. The gazette lists ₦5,000 ordinary name reservation and ₦40,000 registration for incorporated trustees. Other statutory steps and costs may apply.
Does CAC registration include tax registration and operating licences?
Not automatically. A CAC certificate does not waive tax, industry licensing, state or local obligations. Check the official NRS/JRB Tax ID portal and the regulator for your specific activity.
Internal Linking Recommendations
Readers who have calculated their budget can follow FlyingEze's guide to registering with CAC in 2026 for the actual iCRP steps. Those deciding between the two most common legal structures should read Business Name vs Limited Liability Company in Nigeria , which explains liability, ownership and recurring compliance. For the regulatory history of these figures, FlyingEze's CAC fee-review coverage gives useful background. All three are existing published internal resources; this fee guide supplies the detailed cost calculations.
Final verdict
Understanding how to register a business in Nigeria includes knowing which charges are official. In 2026, the published CAC base for an ordinary business name is ₦21,000; a private company's incorporation filing begins at ₦10,000 for up to ₦1 million in issued share capital, plus ordinary reservation, capital duty and applicable extras.
Choose the correct structure, distinguish government fees from agent packages, keep receipts and budget for annual returns. Your safest final price reference remains the official CAC payment assessment alongside the published government fee gazette.
Research verified 29 October 2026. The figures use the 29 May 2025 CAC gazette and current Nigerian tax legislation. This article provides general guidance, not a binding quotation or personalised legal advice.
