ORC To Cancel Unrenewed Business Names from January 17, 2027

The Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) has announced plans to remove all business names that have not been renewed by January 17, 2027, warning that businesses operating under cancelled names will be liable to sanctions.

The directive requires all owners of registered business names to renew their registrations annually upon expiry to maintain their status on the register.

In a Press statement issued on Wednesday in Accra, it said the ORC had observed that several business names on the register had not been renewed as required by law.

“Notice is hereby given that all business names which are not renewed on or before 17th January, 2027 shall be deemed lapsed and shall accordingly be removed from the Register maintained by the Office,” it stated.

The ORC warned that once a business name is removed from the register, it will cease to exist, and anyone who continues to trade under the cancelled name will be in breach of the law and liable to applicable sanctions.

The Office has therefore urged business owners whose renewals are due or have expired to regularise their registrations before the deadline.

They are required to renew their business names at any ORC office or through the USSD short code *222#, settle all outstanding renewal fees and update changes in their particulars, including business addresses and the nature of their operations.

The Registrar also advised owners who no longer intend to operate under their registered business names to formally notify the Office in writing so the names can be removed from the register.

The ORC said the exercise formed part of its commitment to ensuring compliance with Ghana’s corporate regulatory framework and promoting high standards of corporate governance and business transparency.

For further enquiries, business owners may contact the ORC call centre on 0308249841 or through WhatsApp and Telegram on 059-952-5774.

Margaret Adjeley Sowah, ISD