How to Register a Business in Nigeria from the UK, US or Canada

1. Who Can Register from Abroad

Nigerian citizens:yes, wherever you live. Where you live doesn't change what CAC asks of a Nigerian owner. You file the same way someone in Lagos would.

Non-Nigerians, and companies with foreign owners: possible, but with more rules. Be honest with yourself about which group your business falls into before you start:

• No business name. Only Nigerians can register a business name. A foreigner has to register a limited company.
• NIPC registration. A company with any foreign shareholding is expected to register with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) after incorporation, before it starts business.
• Higher share capital. The Ministry of Interior's expatriate quota handbook sets ₦100 million as the minimum capital for companies with foreign participation that need a business permit. Advisers disagree on whether that has to be paid up, so check with a lawyer.
• Business permit and immigration. A company with foreign participation needs a business permit from the Ministry of Interior to operate, and foreigners who move to Nigeria to work in the business need the right residence and work permits.

2. Business Name or Ltd?

This is the same choice everyone in Nigeria makes, with a couple of diaspora twists.

Running a business from abroad means trusting someone on the ground. An Ltd gives you directors, shares and a MEMART to set out who can do what. For the full comparison, read Business Name vs. Limited Company. Whichever you pick, check the name is free first with our free CAC name checker.

3. Your NIN (and If You Don't Have One)

Since 2023, CAC has used the National Identification Number (NIN) as the way to identify Nigerian owners and directors. Living abroad doesn't exempt you. For the full document list, see CAC registration requirements.

Getting a NIN abroad

NIMC (the National Identity Management Commission) runs diaspora enrolment through licensed partners in many countries, including the UK and the US, and has announced plans for more, including Canada. You book an appointment, attend in person for fingerprints and a photo, and bring your Nigerian passport or other proof of citizenship. Centres, partners and fees change, so check the current list on NIMC's website or with your Nigerian embassy or high commission before you book. Allow time: your NIN won't be issued on the day.

Already have one?

Find your NIN slip. If you enrolled years ago and the details on it are out of date (a changed surname, say), fix them with NIMC first, because CAC matches your name and date of birth against NIMC's record.

4. A Nigerian Business Address

The business address you register with CAC must be in Nigeria. Your own home address can be abroad, but the business needs a Nigerian one. Common choices:

• A family member's address. Free and common. Ask first: official letters, and sometimes bank or tax officials, may turn up there.
• A virtual office or co-working space. Gives you a professional address and someone to receive mail. Check that the provider allows you to register a business at the address.
• Your own property in Nigeria. Fine, as long as it's a real street address.

Use a full physical address with a street name and number. A P.O. box on its own won't do.

5. Identity Checks and Staying Reachable

Online registration doesn't mean no checks. Expect your ID to be matched against NIMC's record, and your photo against the photo on your ID. On FastCAC that happens in the app: you upload your NIN slip, a clear photo of your face, and your signature, and we tell you straight away if something won't pass.

The bigger risk from abroad is being slow to respond. If CAC queries your application (a blurry signature, a name mismatch), it waits for you to fix it. Use an email address and phone number you actually check, keep your documents to hand on your phone, and watch for messages while your application is open. A query answered the same day costs you a day. One answered next week costs a week.

6. Paying in Naira from Abroad

CAC fees, and FastCAC's price, are in naira. For the current figures, see how much CAC registration costs.

• A Nigerian bank account or naira card is the smoothest route, if you still have one.
• A foreign card may work, but some foreign banks block or flag payments to Nigerian merchants. Tell your bank before you pay, and expect a currency conversion fee.
• A family member paying for you works too. The person who pays doesn't have to be the owner.

Be wary of anyone asking you to send money to a personal account to "process" your CAC registration. Pay the platform or CAC directly.

7. Timeline and Your Certificate

Registering from abroad isn't slower in itself. What adds time is the paperwork you do first: getting a NIN can take weeks, while a registration with a NIN in hand and a clean application often finishes in days. Queries add time on top. Our CAC registration timeline breaks down what to expect.

CAC issues certificates electronically, so nothing has to be collected or posted. With FastCAC, your certificate and status report appear on the Documents page of your account as soon as CAC approves, ready to download from anywhere. See what a CAC certificate looks like.

8. Opening a Business Bank Account

This is often the hardest part from abroad, so plan for it. Nigerian banks need a Bank Verification Number (BVN) for every owner or director, and many still want to see you in a branch or on a video call before they open a business account.

• No BVN? Since 2025, Nigerians abroad can apply for a Non-Resident BVN online through NIBSS, using their passport, without travelling home. There's a fee, paid in dollars.
• Ask about remote onboarding. Some banks offer video KYC for customers abroad. Others insist on a branch visit. Call two or three before you pick.
• Plan around a trip home. If a branch visit is unavoidable, register the business first so your certificate and status report are ready when you land.

For the document checklist banks ask for, read our guide to opening a business bank account in Nigeria.

9. Tax ID and Tax Basics

A tax ID is created for new businesses as part of CAC registration, so you don't have to visit a tax office to get one. Since January 2026, Nigeria has been moving to a single Tax ID, run by the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS, formerly FIRS), in place of the old TIN.

A registered business still has to file, even with an owner abroad. A company files its own tax returns and CAC annual returns. A business name's profit is the owner's income. Our post-registration compliance guide lists what's due after you register. If you live abroad, a Nigerian accountant who can file for you is usually worth the fee.

10. Registering from the UK

• Time zone: Nigeria doesn't change its clocks. In UK winter, Lagos is an hour ahead. In summer, both are on the same time. Easy for responding to queries in working hours.
• NIN: the UK has some of the longest-running NIMC diaspora enrolment centres, and NIMC announced plans in 2026 to expand them. Check NIMC's website for current UK locations.
• Payments: some UK banks question card payments to Nigerian merchants. Approve the payment in your banking app if asked, or use a naira account.
• UK tax: UK residents are generally taxed on their worldwide income, so profit or salary you take from a Nigerian business may need declaring on a UK Self Assessment return. The UK and Nigeria have a tax treaty that can stop you paying tax twice on the same income. Ask a UK tax adviser how it applies to you.

11. Registering from the US

• Time zone: Lagos is 5 to 6 hours ahead of the East Coast and 8 to 9 hours ahead of the West Coast. CAC works Nigerian business hours, so check messages in your morning.
• NIN: NIMC has run diaspora enrolment in the US through licensed partners. Locations change, so confirm on NIMC's website or with the Nigerian embassy or a consulate before you travel to one.
• Payments: US cards are sometimes declined by Nigerian payment gateways. Have a backup ready: a naira account, or a family member in Nigeria who can pay.
• US tax: US citizens and residents are taxed on worldwide income. Owning or running a foreign company, or holding foreign bank accounts, can also bring extra IRS reporting (for example, Form 5471 for some owners and officers of foreign corporations, and FBAR for foreign accounts above a threshold). Penalties for missing these can be steep, so ask a US tax professional before you register.

12. Registering from Canada

• Time zone: Lagos is 5 to 6 hours ahead of Toronto and Ottawa, and 8 to 9 hours ahead of Vancouver. Plan to answer CAC queries in your morning.
• NIN: NIMC has announced diaspora enrolment for Canada, but availability has been patchier than in the UK or US. Check NIMC's website and the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa for what's open now, and be ready to enrol in the US if that's closer.
• Payments: as with the US, have a naira payment option ready in case your Canadian card is declined.
• Canadian tax: Canadian residents report worldwide income, and owning foreign property or shares in a foreign company can mean extra CRA forms (for example, T1135 or T1134, depending on what you own and its value). Ask a Canadian accountant how it applies to you.

Registering from Abroad: FAQs