Burundi Company Formation & Entity Choice

Company formation and compliance

Business registration in Burundi is centralised through the Agence de Promotion des Investissements (API) one-stop shop, with company law based on the OHADA-style commercial framework. The SARL (limited liability company) is the most common vehicle for small and medium businesses.

• Most common entity type — Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL) — private limited liability company (Code des sociétés privées et à participation publique (Burundi company law))
• Public/larger company type — Société Anonyme (SA) — public limited company, used for larger ventures (Code des sociétés privées et à participation publique (Burundi company law))
• Foreign company presence — Foreign companies may register a branch or a subsidiary (Code des sociétés privées et à participation publique (Burundi company law))
• Minimum share capital for a SARL — No meaningful statutory minimum (effectively nominal — cited as low as the equivalent of US$1) ((approx — confirm)) (Code des sociétés privées et à participation publique (Burundi company law))
• Minimum shareholders and directors (SARL) — At least 1 director and 1 shareholder (a corporate shareholder generally requires 2 shareholders); any nationality permitted (Code des sociétés privées et à participation publique (Burundi company law))
• Registration authority — Agence de Promotion des Investissements (API) — one-stop business registration (Loi portant création de l'API (Investment Promotion Agency))
• Incorporation steps — Reserve company name with API, draft articles of association, deposit capital in a corporate bank account, file the registration application with API, obtain the registration certificate (RC) and tax identification number (NIF) (Agence de Promotion des Investissements (API) procedures)
• Incorporation timeline — Approximately 1 to 2 weeks via the API one-stop shop ((approx — confirm)) (Agence de Promotion des Investissements (API) procedures)
• Indicative company registration fee — Around BIF 40,000 (varies by entity type) BIF ((approx — confirm)) BIF (Agence de Promotion des Investissements (API) fee schedule)
• Tax identification — Each company must obtain a Numéro d'Identification Fiscale (NIF) from the OBR and register for VAT if turnover exceeds the threshold (OBR registration rules under the General Tax Code)
• Core annual compliance — File the annual corporate income tax return, maintain statutory accounting records, file monthly VAT and payroll/INSS declarations, and file the annual employer declaration (Law No. 1/02 of 24 January 2013 (income tax law) and OBR filing rules)