SCUML certificate application takes place on the organization’s official website. Registration requirements include but are not limited to your business name, evidence of tax registration, BVN, RC/BN number, and Form CAC 1.1 (a form Co2 & CO7 for old registration). There is no fee attached to SCUML registration. In other words, it is free.
SCUML certificate is issued to organizations in compliance with the 2004 Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act provisions which was subsequently amended by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011. The certificate is solely designed to provide its carriers with the ability and legal rights to participate in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing in Nigeria.
Today, a SCUML certificate is essential for one to successfully run a business in the country, and without it, you will not have an official bank account for your company or business.
What are SCUML Registration Requirements?
SCUML registration requirements include your business/company name, RC/BN number, date of business registration, form CAC 1.1 (a form Co2 & CO7 for old registration), article and memorandum of association, BVN, bank name, and account number, business trade name, evidence of tax registration (TIN number), company/business account number, brief description of company profile, and incorporation documents including the constitution. For professionals; you need a professional Certificate.
Over time, Nigeria has put several measures in place in a bid to mitigate money laundering because of its adverse effects on the nation’s economy. SCUML has become one of such measures, and through registration and acquiring of the certificate, companies, businesses, and non-profit bodies can protect themselves from criminal activities.
Below is a recap of the requirements you would need in the registration process to obtain a SCUML certificate.
- Business/company name
- RC/BN Number
- Date of Business Registration
- Form CAC 1.1 (a form Co2 & CO7 for old registration)
- Article and Memorandum of Association
- BVN, bank name, and account number
- Business Trade Name
- Evidence of tax registration (TIN number)
- Company/Business Account Number
- Brief Description of Company Profile
- Incorporation documents including the constitution
- For Professionals; Professional Certificate
Note: You have to make sure all the necessary documents and licenses as listed above are complete and handy before you begin the registration process. The same thing goes for your business objectives; ensure that it does not reflect any certificate you do not have at hand. For instance, if your business memo or objectives reflect an engineering business, then you must have a COREN certificate from one of your directors attached.
SCUML Application
SCUML application can be carried out on the organization’s official website. You can also apply offline at their office, where you will be guided on the steps to take. For a successful online application, you need to have an internet-enabled device that is connected to a reliable internet service provider.
SCUML registration is a very straightforward process you can easily follow without guidance. When you apply for the certificate online, all you have to do is log on to their website, follow the instructions carefully, and attach all necessary documents depending on the type of institution.
Follow the steps below to successfully apply for your SCUL certificate.
- On your browser, visit the official SCUML website
- Scroll a little bit down, you will see Online Registration, click on it to access the registration portal
- A form will appear on your screen (the SCUML registration form), complete all the required details in the form.
- After completing the form, you will be required to attach the registration documents. The documents should be scanned and uploaded in PDF format, the file should not exceed 2MB (the required documents are already listed above, so ensure to have them already scanned and saved in your phone or PC before you begin the registration).
- Go ahead to submit. Once the application goes through, the company will receive its SCUML registration number which will be used in collecting the certificate from their office.
SCUML Registration forms
Visit the SCUML website www.scuml.org to gain access to the registration form. You are expected to carefully fill out the form and avoid making mistakes or inputting false or wrong data. Once you are done, find your way around and click on ‘Submit this report’.
Ensure to scan and upload all required documents in a single file using a portable document folder (PDF). Attachments must not exceed 2000KB or 2MB.
SCUML Registration Fee
SCUML registration does not attract any fee. It is done on the SCUML website at no cost. However, you must have an internet-friendly device and be connected to the internet to successfully register and submit your application.
How to Check SCUML Registration Status
You can check your registration status by tracking it online on the organization’s official website. You can as well forward a mail to their official email account asking for the status of your application. Applicants can also visit the nearest SCUML office to make enquiries about the status of their application.
How to Know if my SCUML Certificate is Ready
You can either visit the SCUML website to know if your certificate is ready or visit any of the branches across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria closest to you. It is important to mention that it takes between 14 to 21 working days to obtain the certificate.
How to get SCUML Certificate
You can get your SCUML certificate at any registered state or zone office of the SCUML of your choice. This is after you have filled out the SCUML registration form online and submit it alongside other required documents. Upon successful application, your company will be contacted to that effect to pick up the SCUML certificate.
SCUML Certificate Collection
After the successful registration and submission of all legal documents, it takes between 14 to 21 working days to obtain the certificate. The original certificate can also be collected at their respective zonal offices – Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Port Harcourt, Kano, Gombe, Ibadan, Kaduna, Maiduguri, and Uyo. SCUML has a head office in Abuja.
Businesses that Require SCUML Registration
Businesses that require SCUML registration include hotels, casinos, business outfits dealing in jewellery, audit firms, tax consultants, pool betting, importers and dealers in cars or any other automobiles, dealers in luxury goods, chartered accountants, construction companies, clearing and settlement companies, mortgage Brokers, non-profit organizations, supermarkets, and associations/clubs.
Others are religious organizations, notaries, law firms, and other independent legal practitioners, accounting firms and Accountants, trust and company service providers, estate surveyors and valuers, dealers in precious stones and metals, dealers in real estate, estate developers, estate agents, and brokers, hospitality Industries, consultants and consulting companies.
Also included on the list are dealers in mechanized farming equipment and machinery, practitioners of mechanized farming, and lottery businesses such as fixed odds, pari-mutuel, scratch card gaming, sports lottery (betting), and other forms of gaming.
According to the regulations, the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is charged with the responsibility of all the registration processes and monitoring of the activities of the Designated Non-Financial Institutions in Nigeria. It collaborates with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other relevant and self-regulatory organizations and professional bodies.
The regulation states that the following professions and businesses are regarded as Designated non-financial Institutions and require a SCUML certificate to successfully function in the country.
Businesses that need SCUML registration
- Hotels
- Casinos
- Business outfits dealing in jewellery
- Audit firms
- Tax consultants
- Pool betting
- Importers and dealers in cars or any other automobiles
- Dealers in luxury goods
- Chartered accountants
- Construction Companies
- Clearing and settlement companies
- Mortgage Brokers
- Non-profit organizations
- Supermarkets
- Associations/clubs
- Religious organizations
- Notaries, law firms, and other independent legal practitioners
- Accounting firms and Accountants
- Trust and company service providers
- Estate surveyors and valuers
- Dealers in precious stones and metals
- Dealers in real estate, estate developers, estate agents, and brokers
- Hospitality Industries
- Consultants and Consulting Companies
- Dealers in mechanized farming equipment and machinery
- Practitioners of mechanized farming
- Lottery businesses such as fixed odds, pari-mutuel, scratch card gaming, sports lottery (betting), and other forms of gaming
SCUML Was Inaugurated in Nigeria in 2005
Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) was established in September 2005 by the federal government of Nigeria under the provisions of the Money Laundering Act, 2004 which was later amended in 2011. It was created as a special unit of the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry to contribute to the development of anti-money laundering efforts in Nigeria.
Money laundering in Nigeria has over the years been a serious criminal offence, given its distortion of the country’s economy. It also erodes the financial sector and brings about a reduction in the value of the country’s revenue. Hence, the establishment of SCUML.
Moreover, it is not enough to control money laundering only through financial institutions, it is also pertinent to act on the Designated Non-Financial Institutions DNFIs such as real estate agents, hotels, and casinos. etc. SCUML now operates in various locations across Nigeria and its activity level is significantly growing.
Functions of SCUML
Among many others, these are the key functions of SCUML to actualize its mandate
- Registration and certification of DNFIs in Nigeria
- Orientation of DNFIs in Nigeria in different obligations
- Conducting on-site, off-site, and spot checks inspection of DNFIs
- Taking necessary steps to ensure compliance with laws and regulations
- Collection and compilation of statutory reports and forwarding to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU)
- Creation and maintenance of comprehensive DNFIs database and their financial transactions
- Provision of crucial information relating to DNFIs money trails to assist criminal investigations by Law Enforcement Agencies in boosting the fight against economic and financial crimes within the sector in Nigeria
- Cooperation with stakeholders to ensure compliance with all the AML/CFT measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SCUML Meaning?
SCUML means Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering. The organization is a regulatory authority for the implementation of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) regime for the Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBP) sector in Nigeria.
What are SCUML Requirements?
SCUML requirements include your company/business account number, brief description of company profile, business/company name, RC/BN number, date of business registration, form CAC 1.1 (a form Co2 & CO7 for old registration), article and memorandum of association, BVN, bank name, and account number, business trade name, evidence of tax registration (TIN number), and incorporation documents including the constitution. For professionals; you need a professional Certificate.