How to check a Nigerian company before you ship

To check a Nigerian company, confirm that it appears on the register of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), that the name and RC number match your contract, and that the person you deal with can act for it. The CAC offers a public search online, and basic information on it is free. No single search proves a buyer is safe.

Key facts

• The CAC runs a public search page for "existing companies and businesses entities" (CAC public search).
• The CAC fee schedule says visitors to the public search page "can get basic information free of charge" (CAC fees).
• The same schedule lists NGN 1,000 for a full electronic search per entity (view only) (CAC fees).
• The CAC lists a status report as instant and a search report as 24 working hours (CAC timelines).

What should I check first?

Check that the legal entity exists and matches the name on your contract. A trading name, a website or a business card is not a legal entity. Ask the buyer for the registered name and the registration number, and compare them with every document and invoice you receive.

The CAC's services menu separates company registration, business names and incorporated trustees (CAC). Ask which kind of entity your buyer is, because they sit under different rules. Ask a lawyer how that affects the contract you plan to sign.

How do I search the CAC register?

You can search it yourself on the CAC's public search page, which offers a search by RC number, AV code or approved name (CAC public search). Search for the buyer's registered name or number, then note what the result shows, such as the registered name and status if listed, and compare each with what the buyer told you.

The CAC fee schedule says basic information is free, and lists NGN 1,000 for a full electronic search per entity (view only). It also lists "Persons with Significant Control" as view only and free (CAC fees). Neither the search page nor the fee schedule describes what each result shows, so read what comes back and keep a copy with the date.

What can I ask the CAC for beyond the free search?

The CAC publishes timelines for a status report (instant), a search report (24 working hours), a letter of good standing (3 to 5 working days) and certified true copies of certificates (12 working hours) (CAC timelines). Its fee schedule has fees for status reports, letters of good standing and certified true copies, set out by type of entity (CAC fees). Check the amount for your buyer's entity type in the schedule before you pay, and use the CAC's own channels rather than a third party's link.

A letter of good standing or a status report shows what the register holds on the day. It does not show whether the buyer pays on time or owns what it offers.

How do I check sanctions and other records?

Screen the company and its directors against the sanctions lists you are legally required to use, which depend on your own country and business. See our guide to sanctions screening for South African trade for how the lists work, and ask your compliance adviser which ones apply to you. Also compare the buyer's website domain, email domain and company name, and ask your bank how it would verify the buyer's account.

What are the red flags?

These patterns appear often in trade fraud and are reasons to slow down, not proof of wrongdoing:

• The buyer says money must be paid first for "court approval" or a "registration fee" before the order can proceed.
• The registered name or RC number does not match the one used in emails and invoices.
• Bank details change during the conversation, or the account is in a different name or country from the buyer.
• The contact uses only a free email address, or the domain is very new.
• The buyer pressures you with urgency or offers unusually large orders without detail.

Where does this guide stop?

This guide covers public steps you can take yourself with the Nigerian registry. It does not describe a B2B.Africa service. To compare the registries of South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, see the guide to verifying a company in Africa. Get advice from a lawyer or your bank before relying on any single check. This article is general information, not legal advice.