Start your business
anywhere in Africa.

Sidebrief supports business formation and compliance management across 21 African jurisdictions, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Senegal, and Ivory Coast. Our coverage continues to expand — contact us to confirm availability in a specific country.

Our service covers the full formation process: name availability checks and reservation, document preparation (articles of association, director resolutions, shareholder agreements), government submission and filing, company registration certificate, and tax identification number (TIN) registration. We also handle any mandatory post-incorporation filings required in your jurisdiction and prepare the documentation needed to open a business bank account.

Timelines vary by market. Rwanda is the fastest — typically 1–3 business days. Kenya and Ghana generally take 5–10 business days. Nigeria runs 10–15 business days through the CAC. South Africa is 5–10 business days via CIPC. Where possible, Sidebrief runs post-incorporation registrations in parallel with the main filing, significantly compressing your total time to operational readiness.

Sidebrief's fees are fixed and quoted upfront before any work begins, covering our service charge plus all applicable government fees. There are no hidden costs or surprise invoices after the fact. Pricing varies by country based on the complexity of the registration and any sector licensing requirements. Contact us for a quote tailored to your specific markets and business type.

Yes. Sidebrief is built specifically for multi-market expansion. You can initiate registrations in multiple countries simultaneously through a single platform, with one point of contact coordinating across all jurisdictions. This eliminates the need to manage separate local counsel relationships in each country and gives you a unified view of timelines, documents, and compliance status across your entire portfolio.

Registration is the starting point. Sidebrief provides a compliance calendar that tracks all recurring obligations in each jurisdiction — annual returns, tax filing deadlines, director disclosure requirements, and beneficial ownership updates. We send automated reminders before deadlines and can manage filings on your behalf, ensuring compliance obligations never accumulate into the kind of debt that creates problems at fundraising or expansion.

No. Sidebrief's process is fully remote. You provide the required identity documents — passport copies, proof of address, and business information — digitally, and our team handles all government submissions on your behalf. Some jurisdictions require notarised or apostilled documents; we will advise you on exactly what is needed and how to obtain it without travelling to the country.

Yes. Many African markets require regulatory approvals beyond standard company registration — including payment service provider licences, insurance brokerage authorisations, import/export permits, and healthcare facility registrations. Sidebrief identifies the applicable licences for your business type and target markets, then manages the application process in parallel with your incorporation so you reach operational readiness as quickly as possible.

Yes. Many of our clients come to us after their initial incorporation in one market and need to expand into additional countries. We assess the optimal entry structure for each new market — subsidiary, branch office, or representative office — based on your operational model and local requirements. We then run the new registrations in parallel and integrate them into a unified compliance framework alongside your existing structure.

For most markets, you will need valid passport copies for all directors and shareholders, proof of residential address (utility bill or bank statement, no older than 3 months), a proposed company name, and a description of your intended business activities. Some jurisdictions require additional items — such as a local director, evidence of minimum share capital, or sector-specific credentials. Once you get in touch, we send you a complete document checklist tailored to your specific target markets.