Business Representation

A company coming to Nigeria is faced with alot of challenges mostly due to the fact that this is a new terrain with different laws and uncharted territory. The easiest way to remove this challenge is to liase with a trusted company already operating in Nigeria who is conversant with the local regulatory environment.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU.

Provision of a representative office

We will provide our Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi office address for your use for a fixed monthly fee and will undertake mail forwarding (daily,weekly or monthly as you prefer) using our courier delivery service provider. The cost of such mail forwarding will be treated as an out of pocket expense and recovered from you at cost on a monthly basis. Any additional services will be provided at additional costs. Included in the standard service (Local Business Identity) for the fixed monthly fee is the following services:
Local Business Identity - N30,000 per month

• Professional business address @ Suite 27-28 Dolphin Plaza, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi
• Mail & package receipt
• Name Plate/ Identification
• Dedicated locking on-site mail box
• Mail forwarding on request (daily, weekly, or monthly)
• Use of address for business cards, website, etc.
• Local presence & drop off & pick up point for clientele / visitors

Registration of foreign company.

If it is not an individual seeking a work or residence permit, then the foreign company seeking to do business in Nigeria must be registered in Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 except it is exempted under Nigerian law. We maintain alliances with corporate law firms that we can engage and supervise on your behalf to assist you comply with all applicable regulations and procedures. We will negotiate the best possible price for you and charge you an administrative and service charge of 15% of the cost of the service. Our pricing is transparent as we will provide you with the original bills provided by the law firm. The requirements for registration are stated below

The legal requirements for incorporation: Are contained in the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. They include name of the company, registered office address, type of company, share capital, objects of the company must be legal, qualified directors, subscribers who may become directors. Section 54 of Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 allow foreign companies incorporated outside Nigeria to take all necessary steps to incorporate a separate entity in Nigeria for the same purpose except companies granted exemptions. Failure to comply with these
requirements attracts penalties. Exemptions can be granted by the Council of Minister to companies invited specifically by the Nigerian government to execute any specific project or executing any project on behalf of a donor country or international organization, foreign government owed companies engaged solely for export promotion activities, engineering consultants or technical experts for Government

Business permit.
After registration of the company, it must apply for a business permit to the Ministry of Internal Affairs or via the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission for a business permit. Application is by formal application letter, application form with foreign company registration particulars.

Expatriate Quota Permit.
The foreign company is to obtain a foreign quota permit by application to the same Ministry of Internal Affairs or via the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission. The rationale is to restrict foreigners taking up employments that Nigerians are qualified to do. Mode of application is application to the Ministry of Internal Affairs with company registration particulars, a tabulation of official staff positions in the foreign company to be held by foreigners and Nigerians if applicable, a list of the foreigners to hold specific positions.

STR Visa.
Once the foreign company decides on the number of employees coming to Nigeria to work, then an application for an STR visa will be made to the Nigerian embassy in their country of residence. Mode of application is by an official letter, official application form, employment letter of the applicant (s), employment details and addresses etc. All forms to be submitted in quadrupllicate. An STR visa will then be issued permitting the foreign employee to work and reside stay in Nigeria for three months duration pending regularization of work and residence permit upon entry into
Nigeria.

Regularization of STR.
Upon entry into Nigeria, the foreign employee(s) is to immediately apply to the Nigerian Immigration Services for a Combined Expatriate work and residence permit called CERPAC. The standard fee is $350 for each application plus an additional processing fee. Mode of application is by an application for CERPAC and multiple visa. The STR visa is to be attached to the CERPAC application.

Multiple entry visa.
An application for regularization of STR visa is also made with an application for multiple Nigerian visas to enable the foreign employee enter and leave Nigerian at will. The cost of about $150 officially and an additional fee for processing.

Alien Registration Card.
An application for alien registration is to be made to the Nigeria Immigration Services for alien registration. The duration of the card is for a maximum of two years and is renewable every year. The official processing fee is $250.

Relevant Nigerian Immigration Authorities.
Several relevant Nigerian immigration and business registration authorities grant business permits, expatriate quotas, residence permits, work permits, alien registrations, company and business registration licences etc. They include the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federal Ministry of External Affairs, Nigerian Immigration Services, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Corporate Affairs Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service etc. However, there are no distinct Immigration courts for appeals as Immigration matters and Customs and Excise matters are all heard at the Federal High Court.

After your arrival renting of a permanent office
We maintain relationships with reputable real estate firms and can help you engage them to search for an office space for you. We can recommend the best parts of town to locate and give you an indication of market prices. We will negotiate the best possible professional fee for you and will charge you a transparent administration fee of 15% of the firms charge to you.

Recruitment of local staff
We can help you recruit local staff to man your office and we will provide recommendations on how best to manage your local HR resource. We can also help you draw up job descriptions, HR policy manuals staff handbooks or other HR management resources.

Accounting
One of the first functions to be filled is that of the accounting function. Should you wish to hit the ground running we can provide outsourced accounting personnel who are conversant with local accounting strandards and tax law/practice to mainatin your books pending recruitment of full time accountants. We can provide permanent outsourced accounting services if you so desire along with accounting system installation services.

Training
We also provide training services that are tailored to suit your cuurent realities. Our training is delivered by persons with over 20 years experience and is top rated.

Our Holistic approach
Our approach to service delivery is holistic. In order to provide a holistic service we maintain relationships with over twenty alliance partners in a wide range of fields. So if you need anything not mentioned above just let us know and we will arrange to provide a solution