Annual Returns filings

Annual Returns filings

July 23, 2019

The Annual Returns of a company can be defined as a yearly statement that gives essential information about a company’s activities, composition and financial position and which must be filed by every registered company/business with the appropriate authority.

In Nigeria, filing annual returns with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) is a mandatory statutory requirement for every registered business, this includes Limited liability companies (private or public), sole proprietorships/Business Names and incorporated Trustees. A company’s first Annual Returns is due for filing not later than 18 months after its inception, subsequently it should be filed annually as the name implies not later than 30th June. The filing dates could differ for each company depending on their financial year end but must be filed not later than 42 days after its Annual General Meeting.

In order for a company to file its returns yearly, it needs to attach to the completed prescribed CAC Form, its statement of Affairs if it is yet to commence operations or its Audited Financial Statement where it has commenced operations. This attachment is not necessary for Sole Proprietorships/Business Names.

Filing returns annually enables the CAC to keep up to date records of registered companies which shows that a company is operative and not dormant. It is not only mandatory but also a statutory requirement for companies registered with the commission to file returns as at when due as the law empowers the CAC to strike off the name of a business from the Register of Companies where there are reasonable basis to believe the company is not in operation and the failure to file annual returns is one of the major criteria relied on by the commission to determine the status of a company.

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only, no information contained in this post should be construed as legal advise, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or professional advise from the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer.

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Efe Ugoboro

Team 618Bees

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Frequently Asked

  • When are Annual Returns due for filing?

    A company’s first Annual Returns are due for filing after 18 months of its inception, subsequently it should be filed annually as the name implies. The filing dates could differ for each company depending on their financial year end but must be filed not later than 42 days after its Annual General Meeting.

    The Annual Returns for Business Names is due not later than the 30th of June each year except in the year the business was registered.
  • What’s the difference between a business name and an LLC?

    • A business name is a sole proprietorship, usually owned and managed by one individual only. Legally, the sole proprietor and his business are one. It simply means an individual trading with an alias. The sole proprietor is personally liable for all business related obligations.

    • A limited liability company on the other hand is a separate business entity from the individuals that hold its shares and act as directors. Legally, it’s a separate business entity and a person on its own who can transact business, own property separate from its owners and can sue or be sued. 
  • What is a testimonium clause in an agreement?

    This is the part of the agreement where the witness attests to have witnessed the execution of the agreement.
  • If I have NAFDAC Registration number, do I still need SON registration number?

    SON Product Registration scheme is mandatory for all SON’s regulated products as mandated by SON Act 56 of 1971, 20 of 1984, 18 of 1990 as amended.

    This is irrespective of the registration done by NAFDAC
  • What is personal data?

    This is any information that can be used to identify an identifiable human person such passport photograph.
  • What is the basic criteria for registering a Design?

    The design must be new and original. This means that it must be a unique design not similar to an already existing design.
  • When can I start renewal of the registration of my product(s) with NAFDAC?

    You can start renewal 6 months to the date of expiry.
  • What is share capital?

    The share capital in a private limited company is the amount of money invested by its owners in exchange for shares of ownership.
  • What is a trademark?

    A trademark can be any word, sign, symbol or graphic that you apply to your company, goods or services to distinguish them from those of your competitors; for example, a brand, product or company name, or logo. The trademark serves as a badge of origin for your business and its brands and products, and can consist of words, logos, slogans, colours and shapes, or a combination of all of these.
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