FG slashes business registration fees by 50%
The Federal Government has slashed the costs of
registering businesses in Nigeria by half, in a bid to encourage investment in
the country.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment,
Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said this on Tuesday in Abuja during the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding between his ministry and Brazil’s Ministry of
Development, Industry and Foreign Trade on the promotion of trade and
investment.
A 19-man Brazilian delegation was led on the
visit by the country’s Deputy Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign
Trade, Mr. Richardo Schaefer.
Aganga said the Corporate Affairs Commission had,
since October 1, 2013, reduced capital registration costs by 50 per cent for
equity registration of N500m or lower, and by 25 per cent for equity
registration above N500m.
He explained that the initiative was in line with
the ministry’s investment climate reform programme, which was aimed at
strategically repositioning Nigeria as the preferred destination for both local
and foreign investments.
He said, “Following the directive from the
President, the CAC has since October 1, 2013, slashed fees for business
registration by 50 per cent. Under the new regulations, capital registration
fees for companies (under Part A) have been reduced across board.
“While capital registrations below N1m will
retain a flat fee of N10,000; all registrations between N1m and N500m are
reduced by 50 per cent; and all registrations above N500m are reduced by 25 per
cent.”
The minister said by this action, Nigerian
companies would save over N2bn per annum, which they could use to hire more
workers and expand their businesses.
He said that the new regulation had been
deliberately designed to ensure that the bulk of these savings went to smaller
businesses, which needed the lower fees more.
Aganga expressed optimism about the likely impact
of the MoU, which the Brazilian deputy minister led a 19-man delegation to sign
in Abuja.
According to him, the MoU will make it possible
for various agencies responsible for skills development, industry and
development finance in both countries to work together and deliver better
services for the citizens of their respective countries.
He said, “The aim of the MoU is to strengthen the
economic cooperation between the two countries at the bilateral and multilateral
levels; increase and promote the bilateral trade of strategic items of mutual
interest, and support cooperation between institutions of both countries.”
Culled from Punch
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