Market Entry & Corporate
Establishing and operating a business in Nigeria
AIO Law assists international businesses, investors and founders with the Nigerian legal work involved in establishing and operating in the market.
Our work spans corporate establishment, foreign participation, commercial structuring, regulatory approvals, agreements and ongoing corporate matters.
- Corporate establishment
- Foreign ownership considerations
- Sector-specific regulation
- Commercial agreements
- Trademark protection
- Ongoing Nigerian counsel
The broader question
Incorporation is one step. Market entry is the broader question.
Registering a Nigerian company may be only one component of entering the market.
Depending on the business, clients may also need to consider ownership and governance, sector-specific regulation, investment requirements, employment and immigration issues for personnel, intellectual property, commercial agreements and ongoing corporate compliance.
AIO Law helps clients identify the workstreams relevant to their proposed Nigerian operation.
Where relevant, work-permit and business-immigration considerations for personnel are addressed as part of the corporate market-entry workstream.
Services
Corporate and commercial work for a Nigerian operation.
Nigerian Company Establishment
Setting up the Nigerian entity.
- Company incorporation
- Shareholding structure
- Directors
- Corporate documentation
- Post-incorporation matters
- Corporate records
Foreign Participation
Requirements specific to foreign-owned businesses.
- Legal requirements applicable to foreign-owned businesses
- Investment structure
- Relevant registrations/approvals
- Corporate structuring
- Business commencement considerations
Thresholds, minimum capital and registration requirements for foreign participation vary by sector and change over time; we confirm current requirements for each matter.
Regulatory Mapping
Sector rules that apply before launch.
- Sector-specific requirements
- Regulatory permissions
- Licences
- Registrations
- Compliance obligations
- Launch dependencies
Corporate & Commercial
The agreements a Nigerian operation runs on.
- Shareholders agreements
- Commercial contracts
- Distribution agreements
- Agency agreements
- Service agreements
- Technology agreements
- Vendor contracts
- Corporate governance
Ongoing Nigerian Counsel
After launch.
- Corporate changes
- Board/shareholder matters
- Commercial advice
- Regulatory questions
- Contracts
- Corporate compliance
Process
Enter Nigeria with the structure mapped first.
- 01
Business model
What does the company plan to do in Nigeria?
- 02
Regulatory map
What corporate and sector-specific requirements apply?
- 03
Establishment
Create the appropriate Nigerian corporate structure.
- 04
Operational legal work
Put relevant agreements, permissions and governance arrangements in place.
- 05
Ongoing counsel
Support the business as its Nigerian operation evolves.
Questions
Doing business in Nigeria: common questions.
Can a foreign-owned company operate in Nigeria?
Yes. Foreign ownership is permitted in most sectors, subject to sector-specific restrictions and registration requirements.
Does a foreign company need to incorporate locally?
Generally, a foreign company intending to carry on business in Nigeria must incorporate a Nigerian entity, subject to limited exemptions.
What regulatory approvals might be required?
That depends on the sector and activities. We map the corporate and sector-specific requirements as part of the market-entry plan.
Can AIO Law advise on contracts as well as incorporation?
Yes. We advise on shareholders, distribution, agency, service, technology and vendor agreements, among others.
Can the process be managed while we are outside Nigeria?
Many matters can be handled remotely. Some steps may require signed, notarised or legalised documents, and we will tell you in advance where that applies.
Related workstreams
Businesses entering Nigeria often also need
Start an enquiry
Planning a Nigerian operation?
Tell us what the business plans to do in Nigeria. We will map the corporate and regulatory work required.