Amb. Fidelis Nnadi
Edited by Blue Economy Magazine
A road safety advocacy group, Accident Prevention and Rescue Initiative (APRI), has called on the National Assembly and the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, to expunge Annual Return fees imposed on Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) in Nigeria.
In a petition signed by its Executive Director, Amb. Fidelis Nnadi, and addressed to the CAC Registrar-General and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, APRI demanded immediate reversal of the policy.
The group appealed for full exemption for NPOs/NGOs from the payment of Annual Return fees on the following grounds:
Non-Profit Status: NPOs are non-profit-making entities established for public good in critical sectors such as road safety, health, education and anti-corruption. All funds generated are reinvested into their operations and not shared as profit.
Funding Constraints: Over 80 percent of Nigerian NPOs depend solely on grants and donations. Imposing additional fees will divert scarce resources meant for beneficiaries.
Duplication of Compliance: NPOs already report to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), and donor agencies. Imposing CAC Annual Return fees only increases the cost of compliance without adding value.
APRI cited global best practices, noting that countries such as the United Kingdom, Ghana and Kenya have reduced fees or granted waivers for registered charitable organizations.
“We are appealing to the CAC Registrar-General to amend the policy and exempt all Companies Limited by Guarantee from Annual Return fees, to free up resources for NPOs to deliver more impact to Nigerians,” the petition stated.
As at the time of filing this report, the group said it has concluded plans to formally submit the petition to the CAC and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
It would be recalled that the operational landscape for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) in Nigeria has changed significantly following sweeping tax reforms in 2025.
