Search and document delivery at a glance
- Search online
- CAC Public Search requires no account. The PSC view is a separate search service. [1] [14] [12] [6]
- Search language
- The CAC Public Search search form is available in English. [17]
- Digital documents
- The PSC view offers Download JSON and Print. Delivery of status reports and certified copies needs separate confirmation from CAC. [4] [7] [1] [14]
- Document language
- Not specified
- Paper and collection
- Not specified
- International delivery
- Not specified
- Fees at a glance
- Basic search and PSC viewing free. Status Report NGN 5,000, or NGN 10,000 for a public company. Certified copy NGN 5,000 per document. Fee schedule published 29 May 2025.
- Access
- Public company and PSC searches work without an account. The Public User account is restricted to incorporation services. Use a specific request to CAC for another company’s filed records.
Choose the right register
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) maintains registers under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA). This law covers companies and other registered organisational forms. Its Company Registration Portal is called iCRP. The separate CAC-BOR site provides beneficial ownership information. [2] [4] [6]
Identify a registered entity free of charge.
Search beneficial owners and control information.
Official contact for the appropriate document request route.
Names and abbreviations explained
- RC NumberCompany registration number
- The number identifies the company. Copy it from the official result. [12] [9]
- AV CodeAvailability code
- A code issued for an approved name reservation. It belongs to the incorporation process. [12] [2] [15]
- CTCCertified True Copy
- A copy of a particular filed document certified by CAC. A Certified Extract reproduces certified information from a document. [4] [5]
- PSC / BORPerson with Significant Control / Beneficial Ownership Register
- A PSC is a natural person with qualifying ownership or influence. BOR is the register of these beneficial owners. [6]
Search step by step
Identify a company free of charge
Open Public Search
Start with the name under All. Results may include matches to individual parts of the name. If you know the registration number, select RC Number. AV Code and Approved Name are additional search types. [12]
Select the register category
The results view offers Company and Business Name filters. Incorporated Trustee and the LP and LLP partnership categories are also available. Choose the category relevant to your target. [12]
Match the result
Check the full name and number. The open basic view also shows the category, registration date and status. Record the date of your lookup before requesting further documents. [12]
Request a report or certified copy
Specify the document
Choose Status Report for registered company information. Historical Search Report covers earlier changes. If you need an actual filing, specify its document type and filing date or reporting year in the CTC request. [1] [4]
Confirm the application route with CAC
The current customer service address is cservice@cac.gov.ng. Give the company name and RC Number, then specify the document. Ask for the application route and delivery format available to an overseas applicant. Section 861 CAMA provides for any person to apply for inspection and certified copies on payment of the prescribed fees. [7] [4]
Check the fee and the document
Obtain confirmation of the total price and delivery time. When the document arrives, check its issue date and scope. The CTC tariff charges for each document; a historical report has a separate fee. [1] [4]
Find beneficial ownership information
Documents and fees
| Document / information | Contents and purpose | Fee | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Search [1] [12] | Basic register-result information. | Free. | Public Search without an account. |
| Full electronic search, view only [1] [7] | Extended electronic viewing for one entity. | NGN 1,000 per entity. | A separately priced service; confirm the ordering route with CAC. |
| Status Report [1] [3] [7] | Official company information in report form. | NGN 5,000; public company NGN 10,000. | Request from CAC with the registration number. |
| Certified True Copy / Extract [1] [4] [7] | Certified copy or extract of a specified filing. | NGN 5,000 per document. | Specify document type and period to CAC. |
| Historical Search Report (Companies) [1] | History of officers, shareholders or charges; full history also offered. | Per topic NGN 10,000, or NGN 20,000 for a public company. Full history NGN 20,000 or NGN 30,000 respectively. | Specify topic or full scope expressly. |
| Historical Search Report (Incorporated Trustees) [1] | Historical report on the registered organisation. | NGN 10,000. | Specify the organisation and required period to CAC. |
| Letter of Good Standing [1] [6] | Registry compliance certificate; PSC reporting compliance is required. | NGN 10,000; public company NGN 20,000. | Separate CAC request. |
| Due Diligence Search, self-service [1] | A separately priced company research service. | NGN 50,000. | Confirm service scope before ordering. |
| PSC register view [1] [6] [14] | Reported beneficial owners and control characteristics. | Free. | CAC-BOR → Search → View PSC. |
Organisations covered
The Company category includes private and public companies. Companies can be limited by shares, limited by guarantee or unlimited. A public company is not automatically a listed company. [4]
Business Name means a registered trading name. Incorporated Trustees covers organisations with registered trustees, such as associations. LP means Limited Partnership; LLP means Limited Liability Partnership. The public search separates these categories. [4] [12]
Overseas access and accounts
Guest access lets you find a register entry without a Nigerian identity document or an account. [12] [14]
Sign Up offers Public User, Accredited Agent and Entity Account. The Public User option is for pre-incorporation services and requires a future role as director, trustee, proprietor or partner in the company being registered. [13]
The account form offers foreign nationalities and address countries, together with “International Passport” as an identity-document type. Enter the required identity and contact details. If identity verification fails, contact CAC with the specific error message. [13]
The current login accepts username, email, phone number or accreditation number as the identifier. Its published migration instructions use a six-digit Google Authenticator code for multi-factor authentication. The instructions explain the initial account transition. [13]
Charges and document scope
The amounts in the document table come from the official fee schedule published on 29 May 2025. NGN is the currency code for the Nigerian naira. The schedule expressly distinguishes viewing information on screen from reports and certified documents. [1]
For a specific request, obtain CAC confirmation of the total price and delivery format. If you appoint a service provider, ask for its professional fee to be itemised separately from official charges. [7] [1]
Status Reports and certified copies
The E-Status Report replaces the forms originally issued on registration: CAC 1.1 for companies, BN 1 for business names and IT Form 1 for incorporated trustees. The official example shows basic company information and status. Further example pages contain capital and share information, officers and a shareholders section. A report therefore has a different scope from the free result card. [3] [9] [10] [11] [12]
A CTC certifies a particular filing. Section 861 CAMA governs certification and evidential validity in Nigeria. CAC may supply a Certified Extract instead of the full copy to protect personal information. Certification does not automatically mean historical information remains current. [4] [5]
Annual returns and financial statements
An Annual Return is a yearly registry filing containing company and ownership information. Section 422 CAMA provides for attached balance sheets and profit and loss accounts with the associated reports. Section 424 exempts qualifying small companies and certain unlimited companies. [4]
Small Company is a statutory category. In a subsequent financial year, the qualifying conditions must be met in that year and the preceding year. The Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 amended this rule in Section 394(2) CAMA. [16] [4] [5]
The blank CAC 19 form illustrates the distinction: alongside the return it sets out requirements for copies of accounts. Small companies have fields for turnover and net assets. For financial research, explicitly request the available accounts attached for a particular financial year. A certified annual return alone is not a complete set of financial statements. [8] [4]
For business names, the current portal notice says annual return filing is available for registrations before July 2025. CAC announces a further automated process for newer registrations. [2]
Beneficial ownership and protected information
The PSC rules cover companies and LLPs, including specified foreign entities exempt from separate Nigerian incorporation. The threshold is at least 5% of shares or voting rights. The right to appoint the majority of directors or other significant influence can also trigger reporting. [6]
The prescribed public information includes the person’s name and nationality, service address and nature of control. It also includes notification and control commencement dates. This differs from the complete identity data collected internally. Regulation 9 expressly refers to protections for personal information. [6] [5]
Under the PSC rules, Inactive can also reflect a failure to comply with reporting obligations. It should not be treated as equivalent to dissolution. Where iCRP and BOR display different statuses, obtain a current official response addressing the relevant register position. [6] [14]
Exports and larger datasets
The PSC view offers Download JSON and Print. The fee schedule treats larger directory products separately. It lists free PSC exports for specified authorities and other approved persons or bodies. [14] [1]
Official samples and reading guides
Official Status Report with SAMPLE watermark
CAC’s explanatory page provides specimens for several registry categories. Company pages 1, 2 and 6 illustrate basic details, capital and company officers. Specimen dated 24 December 2020. [3] [9] [10] [11]
CAC 19: blank annual return
Official form illustrating the requested company and accounts information. It is not a completed company report or a filing-deadline calendar. [8]
Avoid common mistakes
- Use the registration number and actual company result. [12] [2] [15]
- The published Status Report examples date from 2020. They illustrate the format. The separate 2022 rules govern current PSC disclosure requirements. [9] [6]
- Specify the financial year and accounts attachments when requesting financial information. The company’s filing fee is not the purchase price of your document copy. [4] [1]
Frequently asked questions
Can I search free of charge from Germany?
Yes. The public iCRP and BOR views are accessible without an account. Basic search does not require Nigerian identification. [12] [14]
Does every detailed search cost NGN 50,000?
No. The schedule lists NGN 1,000 for Full electronic search, view only. Due Diligence Search is a separate NGN 50,000 service. Reports and CTCs have their own charges. [1]
Are certified copies always unredacted?
No. CAC may issue a certified extract in place of the complete copy to protect personal information. [5]
Original sources
Sources reviewed: 15 September 2026. The guidance is based on the linked information published by registers and public authorities.
- CAC: New Schedule of Fees, Official Gazette No. 92 vom 29.05.2025 Federal Government of Nigeria / CAC
- iCRP: amtlicher Portaleinstieg und Hinweis zu Annual Returns Corporate Affairs Commission
- iCRP: Introducing E-Status Report Corporate Affairs Commission
- Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Companies Regulations 2021, im iCRP verlinkte Fassung Corporate Affairs Commission
- Persons with Significant Control Regulations 2022 Corporate Affairs Commission
- iCRP: Contact Us Corporate Affairs Commission
- CAC 19: Annual Return Form, leeres amtliches Formular Corporate Affairs Commission
- E-Status Report: amtliches SAMPLE, Seite 1 Corporate Affairs Commission
- E-Status Report: amtliches SAMPLE, Seite 2 Corporate Affairs Commission
- E-Status Report: amtliches SAMPLE, Seite 6 Corporate Affairs Commission
- iCRP: öffentliche Suchmaske und Trefferansicht Corporate Affairs Commission
- iCRP: Kontotypen und aktuelle Loginanleitung Corporate Affairs Commission
- CAC-BOR: öffentliche Suche und PSC-Details Corporate Affairs Commission
- iCRP: Frequently Asked Questions Corporate Affairs Commission
- Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022: Änderungen des CAMA Federal Republic of Nigeria / Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission
- CAC Public Search: Suchmaske CAC Public Search