What are Articles of Incorporation?
Articles of Incorporation are the founding document that formally creates a company and records the basic terms on which it will operate. In Nigeria the equivalent registration document filed at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 sets out who the company is, what it does, and how ownership is divided. Once approved, the company becomes a separate legal person that can own property, sign contracts, sue and be sued in its own name.
When do you need Articles of Incorporation?
You need them whenever you are setting up a company (as opposed to a business name or partnership) — typically a private company limited by shares. Investors, banks and partners will ask to see this document before they deal with your business, so getting it right from day one saves costly amendments later.
What the document should contain
- Company name and registered office address.
- Objects — the nature of business the company is authorised to carry on.
- Share capital and how shares are divided among the initial shareholders.
- Details of directors and shareholders (subscribers).
- Liability of members (limited by shares in most cases).
Create your Articles of Incorporation
Answer a few plain-English questions and download a clean, lawyer-drafted document as Word and PDF. If your goal is a fully registered company rather than just the document, our team can also register your business with the CAC for you.
Related documents: LLC Operating Agreement, Articles of Association / Corporate Bylaws, Shareholder Agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as a Certificate of Incorporation?
No. The Articles are the document you prepare; the Certificate of Incorporation is what the CAC issues after your company is approved.
Can I change the Articles later?
Yes, companies can amend their Articles by resolution, but it is cheaper and faster to set them up correctly at the start.