Practical Guide: Setting Up a Business in Chad
This guide is for project owners who want to know, in practical terms, in what order to proceed and which documents to gather. It complements the firm’s article on the key steps of setting up a business.
Updated on
Who is it for?
Entrepreneurs, SME managers, investors and members of the diaspora with a project in Chad.
The steps
Clarify the project
Define the activity, the place of business, the number of shareholders, each one’s contribution and the financing need. These points guide the choice of legal form.
Check whether the activity is regulated
Identify the approvals, licences or authorisations required and the authority that issues them. Some are obtained before registration, others after.
Choose the form and draft the articles
Settle the company type, name, registered office, capital and allocation of powers. Provide at this stage for the rules on shareholders joining and leaving.
Deposit the capital
Pay cash contributions into an account opened in the name of the company being formed and have the payment recorded in the form required by OHADA law.
Register the company
File the application for registration with the RCCM, the tax identification number and, if you are hiring, registration with the CNPS.
Organise the start of operations
Open the permanent bank account, set up the accounting, draft employment contracts and the first commercial contracts, and take out the relevant insurance.
Documents and information to gather
- Identity documents of the shareholders and directors
- Signed articles and directors’ appointment documents
- Proof of the capital deposit
- Proof of the registered office address (lease, title deed or domiciliation certificate)
- Declarations required from directors for RCCM registration
- For a foreign corporate shareholder: constitutional documents and its representative’s powers
- Authorisations or approvals if the activity is regulated
Points to watch
- Signing a lease or a major contract in the company’s name before registration without providing for the commitment to be taken over.
- Choosing a name already in use or close to an existing trademark.
- Underestimating the time needed to obtain a sector authorisation.
- Splitting the capital equally with no deadlock-resolution mechanism.
- Overlooking tax and social security filings in the first months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. OHADA law allows the single-shareholder SARL and SAS, as well as the single-shareholder SA.
Shareholders’ residence is not a condition of incorporation. A foreign director must nevertheless comply with residence and work rules, and some activities carry specific requirements.
The timeframe depends on the form chosen, how complete the file is and any authorisations required. A file that is complete when filed is the best way to shorten it.
This information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation calls for specific analysis: please contact the firm before making any decision.
Need support?
The firm can review your file and assist you at each step.