Online legal services platform Legal Forms has launched in Nigeria, guiding users through the business registration process with the country’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Legal Forms launched last month with the aim of eliminating the inefficiencies in the business registration process, and in the hope of “making people’s lives easier”.
According to co-founder Sadiq Okocha, the startup was born from his own experience of registering a company, and his belief that soon all services will move to a do-it-yourself (DIY) model through the internet.
“I started Legal Forms as a result of personal frustrations with the various registration processes in Nigeria, particularly company registration,” Okocha told Disrupt Africa.
“It took me over two months to register my own company. During that time I had to visit three separate governmental agencies and often times the payment portal was down. There was also very little guidance provided by the Corporate Affairs Commission,” he says.
“Legal Forms is turning over the power of lawyers and law firms to everyday Nigerians via the automation of legal services. Lawyers and law firms, as we know them today, will have disappeared with the vast majority of legal services in Nigeria being automated, DIY services. What Legal Forms really is freedom.”
The startup offers two options for users, either free or paid-for services. The free offering provides a guide to all the required processes, and allows users to print off copies of the necessary forms.
Under the paid option, Legal Forms undertakes the registration on behalf of the user, guaranteeing a “hassle free” registration process.
Since launching last month, the startup has attracted 200 free and paying users.
Legal Forms currently only offers registration of a private company limited by shares, and business name registration. However, Okocha already has plans to offer further legal services soon via the platform, including trademarking, real estate registration, divorce, and driver’s licence registration.
