CAC moves forward the deadline for businesses to submit their annual returns to April.

Companies now have until April 1, 2024, instead of January 1, 2024, to file their annual filings, according to a revised deadline set by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

On Thursday, a statement made this known.

“The window provided by this extension is encouraged to be used by all entities registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (Companies, Limited Liability Partnerships, Limited Partnerships, Business Names, and Incorporated Trustees) to file their annual returns to date with the commission,” the Statement stated.

The public should be aware, it continued, that the commission’s striking-off processes, which were started before Thursday, November 2, 2023, are unaffected by the publication or the extension of time.

Companies, together with their directors and officers, should be aware that the commission will now pursue recovery of undischarged penalties against directors and executives of companies that have been struck off.

The Company Registration Portal is currently experiencing technical difficulties, and the CAC claims that the extension was required in response to pleas from the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise sector.

“The public is kindly requested to take note that the striking-off proceedings initiated by the Commission prior to the publication of November 2, 2023, are unaffected by this extension of time.”