Starting a business in Chad: foreigner's guide (2026)

Both foreign and domestic investors may establish and fully own businesses in Chad. No sector-specific foreign-equity caps apply, with the only exception being industries that implicate national security or are deemed strategically sensitive. The National Investment Charter (2008) guarantees foreign investors the same rights as Chadians in privatisation procedures.

The ANIE Guichet Unique de Création des Entreprises consolidates three mandatory steps—commercial court registry (RCCM), tax authority (DGI), and social security (CNPS)—into a single interface. The statutory deadline is 72 hours from submission of notarised documents; practical processing typically takes 7–15 working days. Online registration is not yet available.

The main steps are: (1) prepare and notarise incorporation documents (articles of association, shareholder identity documents); (2) submit to ANIE's Guichet Unique for simultaneous RCCM registration, tax ID issuance, and CNPS enrolment; (3) publish a formation notice in a legally authorised newspaper within 15 days of RCCM registration. A criminal-record certificate (casier judiciaire) must be obtained within 75 days of registration.

Under the revised OHADA AUSCGIE, the minimum share capital for a Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL) is 100,000 XAF (approximately EUR 150). At least half must be paid up on subscription; the remainder may be released within two years of RCCM registration. There is no statutory minimum capital for a sole-trader (entreprise individuelle).

The National Investment Charter offers qualifying companies up to five years of tax-exempt status. ANIE is the official point of contact for applying for these incentives alongside the registration process.

Despite formal reforms, Chad scores in the bottom quintile on Public Services and Operational Efficiency in the World Bank B-READY 2025 assessment, reflecting weak registry infrastructure, limited digital services, and constrained administrative capacity. These practical barriers mean that nominal timelines are frequently exceeded.