The Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) has announced plans to remove business names that have not been renewed from its register, effective January 17, 2027.

In a public notice dated November 4, 2026, the Office reminded business owners that all registered business names are required by law to be renewed annually upon the expiration of their registration.

The Registrar said it had observed that several business names on its register had not been renewed as required by law, prompting the decision to remove those that remain unrenewed after the stipulated deadline.

According to the notice, all business names not renewed on or before January 17, 2027, will be deemed lapsed and subsequently removed from the register maintained by the Office.

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

As part of measures to avoid cancellation, the Office has urged business owners whose renewals are due or have expired to take immediate steps to regularise their registrations.

Business owners who no longer intend to operate under a registered business name have also been advised to formally notify the Registrar in writing to have the name removed from the register.

The ORC said the exercise forms part of its commitment to ensuring compliance with Ghana’s corporate regulatory framework while promoting transparency, good corporate governance and proper business registration practices.