How to Register a Church in Nigeria: Step by Step Guide (2024)

Do you have any plans to start a new church? If so, you must register it the same way you would any other business or company. Churches should follow a registration process because they are non-governmental entities. These religious institutions have a significant role they play in Nigerian society. They teach people, most especially Christians, how to live morally and appropriately, which helps to create a better society. The question regarding whether or not churches ought to be registered in Nigeria has been debated. A requirement in the constitution makes it crucial for churches in Nigeria to be registered.

List of Nigerian Churches And Their Founders

Read the detailed instructions below on how to register a church in Nigeria.

HOW TO REGISTER A CHURCH IN NIGERIA

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) views the church as a corporate entity, and because of that, a church must be registered as such. The steps needed to register a church in the country are listed below.

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE RIGHT NAME FOR YOUR CHURCH

The emphasis of the church depends on the choice of the church’s name, just like it does for any other typical business in Nigeria. Churches don’t always act in the same way. Others are focused on evangelism, while certain churches are wholly dedicated to deliverance and healing and should have names reflecting this. Churches must permit their mission to appear in their name.

Some churches also place a strong focus on financial prosperity and breakthrough. Since people appear to attend churches to satisfy their spiritual, psychological, and financial needs and aspirations, their focus should be apparent in their name.

Therefore, a considerable steps should be taken in this area to choose a name that accurately describes the church’s primary mission. In your effort to register my church in Nigeria, you must take into consideration the fact that picking the proper name helps to draw the appropriate worshippers.

STEP 2: VISIT THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC)

The CAC is authorized by law to register churches in Nigeria. Churches are examples of trustees who are corporations.

Finding out if the name you want is available should come first. They can provide recommendations for you if the one you’ve named isn’t available. This is similar to Google Mail offering various usernames to a new user who wishes to sign up for their email accounts.

Consider how you might like to draw followers who are motivated by achievement and breakthrough despite the fact that you are completely aware of my lack of supernatural abilities. You may then choose the following name: Divine Home of Success Incorporated. This name will correctly convey to people that your ministry is really concerned with their achievement and personal breakthroughs. Therefore, they must leave their current church and join yours after giving it some thought.

The Corporate Affairs Commission will then provide you with all the necessary information to register a church in Nigeria. The more you read this article, the more you will learn about these significant documents.

STEP 3: VISIT ANY 3 NATIONAL DAILIES AND PUBLISH NOTICES

You must then go and place an advertisement in three (3) national dailies. Additionally, one of the dailies needs to be a local publication for the area where your church will be.

This is a significant requirement that CAC has linked to the opening of a church in Nigeria. Although as an intermediary between pastors and CAC, the commission always prefers to work with chartered accountants, lawyers, and chartered secretaries. They regularly grant trustees special treatment by letting them communicate directly with the commission’s representatives.

For instance, if you wanted to start a church in Uyo, I would advertise it in the Vanguard, Punch, and Ibom newspapers. Therefore, you must take that into account when registering a church in Nigeria.

OTHER CAC REQUIREMENTS:

The following are additional criteria in addition to those listed in the preceding steps:

• Two copies of the church’s constitution, as published in the original newspaper.
• Two official letters of application acknowledged by the secretary and board chairman, minutes of the church meeting signed by the secretary and board chairman.
• 2 passport photographs.
• Minutes from the church meeting at which the board of trustees was elected must be endorsed and signed by the secretary and board chairman before being submitted.
• Two photographs of the trustees from their passports.

These are the standards for documentation that a church must fulfill in order to register in Nigeria. Afterwards, the Secretary and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees shall properly endorse the registration form.

COST OF CHURCH REGISTRATION IN NIGERIA (2024)

It is important to understand that church registration is not free. The only requirement is that churches collect a bank draft for ₦20,000 that they then give to CAC in any church in Abuja. Be aware that additional fees could apply and would increase if you wanted to use a lawyer, chartered accountant, or chartered secretary.

WHY YOU SHOULD REGISTER A CHURCH IN NIGERIA

There are several advantages to registering a church in Nigeria, some of which are listed here:

• Upon registration, the church becomes a corporate entity. It now has the ability to file a lawsuit as well as to be sued.
• The church will have the authority to hold land. The ability for incorporated trustees to hold lands in Nigeria is something that the Corporate Affairs Commission is constantly interested in and will provide.
• Another advantage of having a church registered in the country is legal identity. No matter how much a man has put in the church, he cannot unilaterally claim ownership of it.
• There is continual continuity in registered churches. It will still survive since it is now an incorporated trustee, even if its main funders and the trustee board pass away. The churches will promptly install new members to succeed the departed ones if the chief officers, such as pastors, pass away.

Because of the advantages listed above, it is highly necessary for churches to register in Nigeria.

CONCLUSION

Despite the fact that Nigeria’s unregistered churches have not been strictly enforced by the Corporate Affairs Commission. Founders and ministers of unregistered churches should make an attempt to register their organization in order to give it a professional appearance. Church leaders always stress to their flock the importance of abiding by the law and acting morally, just as Jesus acted. And it would be absurd if they were found to be lacking in this area because they didn’t register their congregations.