Company Incorporation & Licensing in Africa

Timelines vary by jurisdiction. Anglophone countries typically take 2-4 weeks, while francophone (OHADA) jurisdictions take 4-8 weeks. These timelines assume straightforward applications with complete documentation. Your legal memorandum will provide a detailed, milestone-by-milestone timeline for your specific country and company type.

Document requirements vary by country and company structure, but typically include: passports/ID copies of directors and shareholders, proof of residential address, memorandum and articles of association, bank references, and in some cases, proof of funds. Your legal memorandum includes a complete checklist of required documents specific to your jurisdiction.

In most jurisdictions, you do not need to be physically present. However, some countries require at least one director to be present at the initial shareholders' meeting or for signing documents in person. We can discuss options for managing this, including the use of power of attorney or nominee directors. Your legal memo will clarify the requirements for your chosen jurisdiction.

A SARL (Société à Responsabilité Limitée) is a private limited liability company with a minimum of 2 members, simpler governance, and lower capital requirements. An SA (Société Anonyme) is a public limited company suitable for larger operations with more members, complex governance, and higher capital requirements. We recommend the SARL for most small to medium businesses and the SA for larger ventures seeking to raise capital publicly.

This depends on the specific jurisdiction and mining regulations. Some countries allow 100% foreign ownership, while others require local ownership, joint venture partnerships, or local director participation. Your legal memorandum will clarify the foreign ownership restrictions and local content requirements for mining operations in your target country.

Post-incorporation, companies must file annual financial statements, tax returns, and statutory reports. Annual meetings, director/shareholder updates, and regulatory filings are mandatory. The specific requirements depend on your jurisdiction and company size. Your legal memo includes an ongoing compliance calendar for your first year and beyond, and we offer annual compliance and filing services to manage these obligations.

Yes, absolutely. Many clients operate in multiple African jurisdictions. You can request legal memos for multiple countries in the same questionnaire by indicating that you need a branch or subsidiary in additional countries. We'll provide separate memos for each jurisdiction and coordinate the incorporation process across all locations.

Francophone (OHADA) jurisdictions involve more complex notarisation requirements, stricter capital deposit procedures, longer registration timelines, and more intricate regulatory compliance processes. These factors require more extensive legal work, coordination with multiple authorities, and local agent involvement, which is reflected in the higher pricing.

We conduct a name availability search in your target jurisdiction as part of the questionnaire review. If your proposed name is unavailable or too similar to an existing company, we'll suggest alternatives and provide updated pricing and timelines. You can modify your company name choice before we proceed with the actual incorporation.

Yes, we offer several ongoing support services including corporate secretarial services, annual compliance and filing, registered office address, bank account opening assistance, and much more. After incorporation, we become your ongoing legal partner in Africa, available to advise on regulatory changes, contract matters, disputes, and business expansion.