Buy a Business in Nigeria: Acquisition Search and Due-Diligence Planning

Buying an operating business can offer access to customers, staff, assets and a market position, but it also brings obligations and risks that a new company may not have. The first task is to define what you want to acquire and how you will test the seller’s claims.

Wigmore Trading welcomes acquisition-search and business-introduction enquiries for Nigeria. Share a non-confidential buyer mandate so the available support can be assessed. We do not represent the examples on this page as current listings, verified opportunities or guaranteed profitable companies.

Write a buyer mandate

Identify sector, location, size range, ownership sought and preferred transaction structure. State whether you need management continuity, premises, licences, specific equipment or an established distribution network. Separate essential requirements from preferences.

Understand what is being sold

A share purchase and an asset purchase create different issues. Establish which assets, contracts, staff, liabilities and permissions are involved. A company’s CAC registration is not evidence that its operating licences, tax position or title are satisfactory.

For a family-owned business, clarify who owns the shares, who controls the operating assets and who has authority to negotiate. A manager’s willingness to discuss a sale does not establish shareholder consent.

Evaluate claims with evidence

Review financial performance, cash generation, working capital, debt, tax, customer concentration and related-party transactions through qualified advisers. Reconcile management statements with appropriate records. “Profitable business for sale” is a claim to examine, not a conclusion established by an advert.

Assess operational condition, key employees, supply agreements, premises and any dependence on the outgoing owner. Include environmental, technical and sector-specific review where relevant.

Control confidentiality and contact

Agree who may approach the business and what may be disclosed. Use staged information access and an appropriate confidentiality process. Do not send bank credentials, private identification or sensitive company files through an unsolicited introduction.

Foreign and diaspora buyers should plan reliable local diligence and professional advice rather than relying solely on remote conversations. Payments, ownership structure and regulatory questions require transaction-specific review.

Plan approvals and integration

Consult relevant advisers on merger review, corporate requirements and any sector approvals. Licences and contracts may require consent or may not transfer in the way a buyer expects.

Define how the business will operate after completion: management, customers, systems, suppliers and working capital need attention. Purchase price alone is not the total funding requirement.

Can I see verified businesses for sale?

Ask the team what opportunities, if any, are available under an authorised mandate and what verification has been performed. This guide does not supply a live listing inventory.

What should I send Wigmore?

Provide sector, location, transaction size range, ownership preference and timing. We can discuss search and introduction support and the specialist diligence needed.

Related guides

• Mergers and Acquisitions in Nigeria: Advisory and Deal-Readiness Guide
• Sell Your Business in Nigeria: Confidential Sale and Buyer-Search Planning
• Acquiring Nigerian Businesses by Sector: Licences, Assets and Due Diligence

Updated 2 November 2026. Availability, pricing, documentation and the actual service scope require confirmation for the particular enquiry.