The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has consolidated the forms
required to incorporate a business in Nigeria, reducing the number from
seven to one, according to the Special Adviser to the commission’s
Registrar General, Alhaji Garba Abubakar.
“We now have just one form which has been deployed this week. It contains
all the information you need to register and is available for download on
the CAC website. This reduces the cost and time needed to register a
business,” Abubakar said on Friday at the Lagos Stakeholders Forum of the
Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES).
Abubakar said the CAC would ensure that business owners are able to upload
documents electronically as part of its deliverables in the 60-day
National Action Plan on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.
The Lagos Stakeholders Forum was the second in two days by EBES, following
Thursday’s forum in Kano.
According to the coordinator of EBES, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, the forums are
designed to inform private stakeholders about government’s efforts to ease
the business environment; share details on the Action Plan; and receive
feedback to report back to the Presidential Enabling Business Environment
Council (PEBEC).
She pointed out that an example of the feedback process at work was the
unscheduled visit on Thursday by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to the
Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, based on EBES feedback.
“Our vision is a dramatic improvement in Nigeria’s business environment
over the next three years to a top 100 ranking in the World Bank Doing
Business Report, with increased cross-border trading, increased
productivity across key economic sectors and an improved business
environment that is attractive to both domestic and foreign investors,”
she said.
The two forums in Kano and Lagos were well attended by government
officials, heads of MDAs and private sector players who interrogated and
interacted with officials, offered advice and aired grievances.
Speaking at the Lagos forum, the Minister of Industry, Trade and
Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, said the renewed push to ease the
business environment was due to the realisation that “every country that
has gotten it right has enabled businesses. It is the most sustainable
long term way.”
In Kano, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje was represented by his deputy, Professor
Hafiz Abubakar, while in Lagos, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode was represented by
the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Wasiu
Anifowoshe.
The state governments highlighted reform efforts in their states
especially as regards getting construction permits and registering
properties, which are under their purview.
“In Lagos, getting governor’s permit now takes less than 30 days. Quote me
anywhere,” Anifowoshe said.
Some other reform initiatives announced at the forums include the CAC
upcoming reform that will allow business owners to get e-stamps for stamp
duties without the need to visit the offices of the Federal Inland Revenue
Service (FIRS).
On its part, the FIRS said Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) can now be
gotten when registering businesses at the CAC without having to visit its
offices.
Other facilitators at the event include Ms. Yewande Sadiku, the Executive
Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) and Mrs.
Jameelah Ayedun, the MD of CR Services. There were also officials from the
Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Electricity Regulatory
Commission (NERC), Eko Distribution Company, the National Collateral
Registry, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS),
amongst others.
The Stakeholders Engagement Forums were anchored around the seven priority
reform areas of EBES, namely, Starting a Business, Getting Credit, Trading
Across Borders, Getting Electricity, Construction Permits, Paying Taxes
and Registering Property.