Get Guardian on GoogleThe Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has directed a company operating under the name KPMG Advisory Services to change its name within six weeks, citing a conflict with the already established KPMG Nigeria.
In a letter dated September 19, 2025, and signed on behalf of the Registrar-General by Chidimma Laureen Nwite, the Commission explained that the business name KPMG Advisory Services (BN 2145583), registered in 2010, was erroneously approved despite KPMG Nigeria’s prior registration.
Citing Section 30(1) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, the CAC stressed that the law prohibits registering names identical or deceptively similar to existing entities. It warned that failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe would trigger enforcement measures.
The directive follows a July 2025 judgment of the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which nullified the registration of KPMG Professional Services after a protracted legal battle that began in 2002. The court ruled that the registration was misleading and violated corporate naming provisions under CAMA.
The appellate court’s decision firmly upheld KPMG Nigeria’s rights, reversing a 2005 Federal High Court ruling and reinforcing statutory protection for established corporate names.
