A clear path to operating in Ghana.
Company formation and GIPA registration, coordinated by GHBusinessDesk, with a licensed partner lawyer on every case. You know what applies to you, and what it costs, before you pay.
Private company · Not a government agency · Government fees shown separately
- GHBusinessDesk service fee
- US$1,200
- Plus professional and government fees
- Structure
- Company
- Limited by shares
- GIPA registration
- Every year
- Under Act 1173
- Partner lawyer
- Every case
- Confirms what applies before you pay
What the GIPA Act, 2026 means for you.
Companies with foreign shareholders register with the Office of the Registrar of Companies and also with the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority, under the GIPA Act, 2026 (Act 1173).
- GIPA registration, renewed every yearRegistration with GIPA follows incorporation, and is renewed annually. We add the renewal to your compliance calendar.
- Most activities have no minimum capitalAct 1173 removed the blanket minimum-capital requirement for most foreign participation.
- Trading requires US$500,000 in cashIf your company will trade, this cash requirement applies. The partner lawyer confirms whether your activity counts as trading.
- Some activities are reservedBefore you pay, the partner lawyer checks your planned activity against the reserved activities and any sector licence it needs.
Regulations and forms under Act 1173 are still being published, so we take on foreign-founder cases selectively and update our rules as guidance appears. A partner lawyer confirms what applies to you before you pay.
What we check before you pay.
A short pre-qualification, reviewed by the partner lawyer. If something rules your plan out, you find out now, not after paying.
- Your activityChecked against reserved activities, the trading cash requirement and sector licences.
- Your directorsA company needs at least two directors, at least one ordinarily resident in Ghana. If none of yours lives here, the lawyer explains the options open to you.
- Your shareholders and beneficial ownersWho owns and controls the company, including any corporate shareholder, with passports and proof of address.
- Staff coming from abroadIf you or your staff will need immigration quota, we refer you to a partner professional. That work is quoted separately.
What happens, and who does it.
GHBusinessDesk coordinates the whole file. The lawyer advises and signs off. The authorities decide.
Private company · Not a government agency · Government fees shown separately
Pre-qualification
Answer questions about your activity, capital, directors and shareholders. You can save and come back.
YouGHBusinessDeskPartner lawyer review and quote
The lawyer checks what applies to your plan and quotes their fee, before you pay anything.
Licensed professionalCheck every fee, then pay
Government fees, the US$1,200 GHBusinessDesk service fee and the lawyer’s fee, each with who receives it. Pay the cedi equivalent through Paystack using an available card or mobile money option.
YouCompany formation
The same process as any company, with witnessed consents and a second review. How company formation works
GHBusinessDeskLicensed professionalThe authority decidesGIPA registration
After incorporation, the lawyer and GHBusinessDesk prepare the GIPA registration. GIPA decides, on its own timeline.
Licensed professionalGHBusinessDeskThe authority decidesDocuments and yearly renewals
Everything in your vault, with the annual GIPA renewal and your ORC annual return in your compliance calendar.
GHBusinessDesk
Every line, including the ones still to confirm.
Some fees depend on your plan, so the checkout shows a total so far. GIPA and partner-lawyer fees are confirmed before you pay, and you pay only once they are.
- Government feePaid to the authority at cost
Owed to the Registrar, GIPA or another authority. We add nothing and show the schedule it comes from.
- GHBusinessDesk service feePaid to GHBusinessDesk
Fixed for the service you choose, and shown before you enter any details. This is what we earn.
- Professional feePaid to a partner firm
Only where the law needs a licensed professional, such as a commissioner for oaths or a lawyer.
The example is shown in US dollars; cedi amounts are converted approximately, and the day’s published rate is fixed when you pay. Your GHBusinessDesk service fee is fixed at US$1,200. Company government fees start at GHS 615 plus 1% stamp duty.
Company limited by shares
Stated capital GHS 10,000 · Foreign-owned company
| Line | Payee | US$ |
|---|---|---|
Government fee: Company registrationORC schedule effective 2 Feb 2026 | Office of the Registrar of Companies | 53.18 |
Government fee: Stamp duty, 1% of stated capital | Via ORC | 9.09 |
Government fee: Name search | Office of the Registrar of Companies | 2.73 |
Government fee: GIPA registrationConfirmed by a partner lawyer before you pay | Ghana Investment Promotion Authority | TBC |
GHBusinessDesk service fee: Foreign-founder company with GIPA coordination | GHBusinessDesk | 1,200.00 |
Professional fee: Commissioner-for-oaths witnessingEstimate | Partner firm | 13.64 |
Professional fee: Partner lawyer: GIPA and activity reviewEstimate | Partner firm | TBC |
| Total so far | 1,278.64 |
Indicative. Verified against the current ORC schedule at checkout. Cedi amounts converted at approximately GHS 11.00 = US$1; the day’s published rate is fixed when you pay.
What we do, and what we don’t.
A foreign-founder file involves several parties. Here is exactly where GHBusinessDesk’s role begins and ends.
GHBusinessDesk does
- Coordinate the whole fileOne formation lead, one timeline, every status visible.
- Prepare and submitCompany forms for the ORC; GIPA papers with the lawyer.
- Keep you compliantRenewals and annual returns in your calendar.
GHBusinessDesk does not
- Give legal adviceThe licensed partner lawyer advises you directly.
- Decide approvalsThe ORC and GIPA decide on their own timelines.
- Handle immigrationWe refer you to a partner professional.
Ghanaian living abroad? The diaspora route may suit you better. Start from abroad
Start with a clear answer.
Tell us your plan. A partner lawyer confirms what applies, and you see every fee, including the US$1,200 GHBusinessDesk service fee, before you pay.
Private company · Not a government agency · Government fees shown separately
