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Nigeria: CAC company search, fees and persons with significant control

Last checked: 20 October 2026 · Countries

Companies in Nigeria are registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), whose website links to a public search of existing businesses 1. The CAC fee summary lists a full electronic search per entity, view only, at ₦1,000 and a status report at ₦5,000 3. Persons with significant control hold at least 5% of shares or voting rights, among other tests 4. The PSC Regulations 2022 say the CAC makes core PSC data available to the public free of charge 4.
Registry
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) 1
Public search
icrp.cac.gov.ng/public-search 1,2
Electronic search, view only
₦1,000 per entity 3
Status report or letter of good standing
₦5,000 3
PSC threshold
At least 5% of shares or voting rights, or control tests 4
PSC data on public search
Free, view only 3,4

How to search the CAC register

The CAC home page has Search Businesses and Search Existing Businesses buttons that link to the public search at icrp.cac.gov.ng/public-search 1. The CAC lists maintaining a public registry of all registered entities as part of its mandate 1.

On 20 October 2026 the public search page showed a notice that it was undergoing maintenance and would be back up soon 2. Check the page before you rely on it.

The CAC launched its Beneficial Ownership Register platform at bor.cac.gov.ng in November 2022, as reported by William Ukpe in Nairametrics 6. The report said users can search by entity name, entity number, or the first name and surname of a person with significant control 6.

Search and report fees

The CAC Summary of Fees gives these amounts for companies. The document carries no date 3.

ServiceGuarantee, small and other private companiesPublic companies
Full electronic search per entity, view only 3₦1,000 3₦1,000 3
Historical search report, directors and officers 3₦10,000 3₦20,000 3
Historical search report, shareholding 3₦10,000 3₦20,000 3
Historical search report, charges 3₦10,000 3₦20,000 3
Historical search report, all information 3₦20,000 3₦20,000 3
Due diligence search, self-service 3₦50,000 3₦50,000 3
Status report or letter of good standing 3₦5,000 3₦5,000 3
Certified true copy of documents or extracts, each 3₦5,000 3₦5,000 3
Persons with significant control, view only 3Free 3Free 3

Who is a person with significant control

The Persons with Significant Control Regulations, 2022 were made under section 867 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 4. Regulation 14 says a person with significant control is a natural person who meets any of these tests 4.

  • Holds at least 5% of the issued shares or interest in a limited liability partnership, directly or indirectly 4.
  • Exercises at least 5% of the voting rights, directly or indirectly 4.
  • Holds the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors or partners 4.
  • Exercises significant influence or control, defined as the ability to direct or materially influence the finances, policies, management or operations 4.
  • Has significant influence or control over a trust or firm that would meet the first tests if it were an individual 4.

What the public can see

Regulation 10 says the CAC will freely make available to the public the full name, start date of control, date of declaration, occupation, service address, nationality, nature of ownership or control and a unique identifier of each person with significant control 4. The entity's name, registration number, status and country of registration are public too 4. The residential address on form CAC-PSC 01 is marked not for publication 4.

An EITI infographic on Nigeria says the CAC set up its central register under section 119(3) of the Act and had collected beneficial ownership data from 318,983 companies as at 17 January 2023 5.

Filing duties and penalties

  • Companies and limited liability partnerships submit PSC information at incorporation, when filing annual returns and on amendments 4.
  • A person must notify the company within seven days of becoming a person with significant control 4.
  • The daily default fine on a company for PSC reporting failures is ₦5,000 for a small company, ₦10,000 for other private companies and companies limited by guarantee, and ₦25,000 for a public company 4.
  • The CAC will not approve annual returns or issue a letter of good standing to an entity that has not filed PSC information 4.

Common questions

How much is a CAC search in Nigeria?

The CAC fee summary lists a full electronic search per entity, view only, at ₦1,000. Historical search reports start at ₦10,000 3.

Is the CAC register of persons with significant control public?

Yes. The PSC Regulations 2022 say core PSC data is made available to the public free, and the CAC fee summary lists PSC viewing as free 3,4.

What is the PSC threshold in Nigeria?

At least 5% of the issued shares or voting rights, or control through board appointments or significant influence 4.

Is the CAC public search working?

On 20 October 2026 the public search page showed a maintenance notice 2.

Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.

Sources

  1. Corporate Affairs Commission: home page (read 20 October 2026)
  2. Corporate Affairs Commission: Public Search (read 20 October 2026)
  3. Corporate Affairs Commission: Summary of Fees (undated)
  4. Corporate Affairs Commission: Persons with Significant Control Regulations, 2022 (published January 2023)
  5. EITI: Nigeria beneficial ownership infographic (2023)
  6. Nairametrics: CAC launches Beneficial Ownership Register (BOR) platform for more transparency, by William Ukpe (26 November 2022)

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