We all have different reasons to want to establish our own association, be it a church, mosque, N.G.O, or any other non profit making entity; whatever may be the reason, the aim of this write up is to simplify the procedure in the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004.

Please take your pen and note the following:


1 Name: In opting for a name, you must be careful to develop a name that speaks the whole aim of the association, and also make sure that you have alternative names just in case your first choice name does not go through. CAC will usually allow at least 3 options.


2 Apply for Availability & Reservation of Name: The next step is to make an application to CAC for your chosen name to be reserved pending when you will be able to perfect the pre registration processes.

Note at this point that, for the purpose of registering a church, mosque, organisation or association for religious, educational, literary, scientific, social development, cultural, sporting, or charitable purpose, you are allowed to transact directly with CAC if you so desire, otherwise, you can seek the service of an accredited CAC agent.


HOW TO APPLY

Walk into any of the CAC branches nearest to you

Ask to know where you can purchase FORM CAC IT NAME

Make your payment and fill the form: You will write your name as the presenter, your address, the proposed name of the association you seek to register in order of preference, then the principal aims and objectives of the association (you may just write the principal aims at this point), in the space for classification, you write “Incorporated Trustees”, you then date it and put your signature.


3 The waiting period: After filling and submitting the CAC IT NAME form, there is usually a waiting period within which the CAC scrutinizes and check its base to know whether one of the names you applied for is available.


The waiting period varies depending on the branch of C.A.C. you are transacting with. In Abuja Head office, it is usually ready within a week, while in lagos, it takes about 3 weeks.


At the end of the waiting period, the C.A.C will issue a Notice of Approval if your application scale through, but if not, a Notice of Denial will be issued in which case you have to fine tune your choice names and make a new application.

Let’s assume your application is successful, the name will in essence be reserved for your exclusive use for a period of 60 days. This is where the task begins and you can do a number of things next depending on your preference, but I will suggest that you follow the order below:

4 Advertisements: It is usually advisable to place adverts first after your choice name is successfully reserved. The advert is usually made in 2 newspapers: one national daily, and one local daily in circulation where the head office is to be situate. Take for instance, you have an intention to establish your head office in Lagos, P.M. Newspaper and Abuja Chronicles are examples of Newspaper Press in circulation within Lagos and Abuja.


Size of publication: Usually 3 inches of the 2 column of the newspaper (3 by 2)

Essence of publication: The aim of the publication is to give notice to the public that an organisation is about to be registered with C.A.C; the name of the organisation, the names of the intended trustees, and the aims and objectives of the organisation are also listed out.

The publication avails the public the chance to raise an objection to the intended registration, the objection may be on the basis of the character of any of the trustees, the name of the organisation, or that the aim(s) of the organisation is/ are contrary to public policy etc. Such objection must be sent to the C.A.C. within 28 days of the advert, supported with cogent reasons why the objection must be upheld.

5 The Constitution of the Organisation: While a company usually have a memo and an article, that which govern associations registered under PART C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act is the Constitution.


Usually, 2 hard copies of the constitution are to be submitted to C.A.C.


6 Purchase and filling of Incorporated Trustees Set Form: The content of the form also evidences some step by step guides for applicants. The 3 very essential parts of the form are:

1. The provision for the aims/ objectives of the Applicant body (where you exhaustively spell out your aims and objectives).

2. Inclosure “D” of the form wherein you write out the full name, permanent address, occupation of the trustees for the organisation, signature, and one passport size photograph. (Please note that the minimum number of trustees for the purpose of CAMA is 1).

3. The impression of the common seal of the organisation. (The seal is the instrument for the authentication of the corporate acts and the execution of the legal transactions of the association). This is further discussed below.


7 Declaration on oath of trustees: The content of the oath is to further affirm that none of the trustees is/ are infant(s) (below 18years old), person of unsound mind (as declared by a court of competent jurisdiction), person that has been convicted of any offence involving fraud or dishonesty (within 5years of his proposed appointment as a trustee) and that he/ she is not an undischarged bankrupt.


Each trustee is to swear the oath, sign it, and attach his/ her passport size photo, and the oath must be sworn to at a High Court Registry before a Commissioner for Oaths (you must remember to collect and keep your oath receipt as it may be needed later on).


8 The Seal of the body: This is usually a metallic device. It is the impression of the authority of the body to documents. Usually, the name of, and the logo of the body is designed on the seal.


9 Minutes of Meeting: 2 minutes of meeting are needed:


a. Minutes of meeting of the appointment of the trustees: Here, you must exhaustively show the votes scored by each contestants for the position of the trustee, the names of members present at the election of the trustees, and the authorisation to proceed to C.A.C to apply for their registration. It must be duly signed by the chairman, and secretary for the purpose of the meeting.


b. Minutes of the meeting where at the special clause was adopted: The association must adopt the special clause provision in the Companies and Allied Matters Act. The special clause relates to the income and property of the applicant body and its application solely for the promotion of the objects of the body to be registered. continue reading here www.cacnigeria..com

Read how to go about registration your business name yourself. I'll be writing that of a Ltd company and also that of registering a church or an NGO.

https://nekslovewebsolutions.com.ng/step-by-step-guide-on-how-to-register-business-name-with-cac-in-24-hours/

Al the best.