60A Westlands Boulevard, West Legon, Accra, Ghana. +233 (0) 302972263

Advisory Services 

Our Practice Areas

Introduction

At Firstcode, we bring to our clients our professional understanding of the Ghanaian business environment. We offer a full range of services to help clients tackle challenges faced in businesses.
Our Advisory Services have been categorized into two broad service scopes, albeit we provide general accounting and tax advisory, risk and compliance advisory, legal advice, and management and operations advice.
Corporate Services
Businesses are required to comply with the laws and regulations governing the sectors they are involved in, to enable them operate in accordance with the best governance practices. They must do that by following certain standards and ethics.
We advise and support businesses to properly set-up and remain compliant at the Registrar of Companies and other regulatory environments. We provide compliance support for businesses to remain sustainable in the fast-changing regulatory environment in Ghana.
We understand the regulatory landscape in Ghana and we support our clients to comply with industry and regulatory requirements.
FMS Trustees, a corporate secretarial subsidiary of Firstcode advises and facilitates activities on annual retainer and pro term basis:
  • Company Formation and Business Registration
Incorporating one’s business is one of the compliance requirements for the purposes of regulation and for identification as a legal entity. Firstcode diligently prepares all required documents and ensures a successful registration or incorporation of business at the Registrar General’s Department.
  • Nominee Services 
Our nominee services enable us to act as shareholders and provide nominee directors on behalf of clients. As nominees, we stand in a fiduciary relationship with our clients.
  • Board Functions 
At Firstcode, we ensure Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) are effectively organised and minutes properly recorded. We keep the books and records of companies and maintain the statutory registers of companies in order to uphold the legal requirements of the Companies Act 2019, Act 992.
  • Health Check 
This is a meticulous activity carried out by the firm to examine whether our clients are compliant with the stipulated statutory and regulatory requirements and render advice to clients on how best to stay compliant.
  • Filing of Annual Returns
We facilitate due process of filing annual returns with both the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)
  • Renewals and re-registrations
After a successful incorporation of business, we advise the Boards of Directors and support them with facilitation services for the registration and renewal of various licenses and permits with their sector specific statutory and regulatory bodies.
  • Filing of all forms of Amendments
We aid clients in filing various amendments which include, change of company name, directors, auditors, and secretaries, increase in stated capital and shares, change of address, and other vital details of a company amongst others.
We also advise on the best structure for joint ventures, shareholder issues and corporate governance structures.
We provide guidelines and assistance for new registrations, renewal of licenses and permits and filings at the various regulatory agencies including:

  • Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA),
  • Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA),
  • Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC),
  • Ghana Immigration service
  • Bank of Ghana (BOG),
  • Petroleum Commission, Ghana (PCG),
  • Minerals Commission
  • Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT)
  • Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Your VAT and other tax filings, investment license, free-zones license, petroleum license, visa on arrival, work & residence permit can all be delivered at little or no cost to you. We understand and advise clients on the various aspects of regulatory compliance, industry standards and best practices required for all forms of businesses in Ghana.
Consulting Services
We advise and support investors and businesses to launch new operations, explore new markets for existing businesses or expand market share for product and services.
Our team assists you in identifying your needs, designing strategy for market development, collecting and analyzing relevant market data.
Among the services we provide under this vertical are: 
  • Business Plan Development & Feasibility Studies
Firstcode assists clients in compiling the necessary information to develop a comprehensive business plan that will highlight the direction of the business, visualize potential risks, assess viability and assist with planning. We are sure to project potential outcomes of the business to encourage business partners and investors.

We deliver to clients an in-depth feasibility study covering crucial information that would advise clients on the viability of their business and prevent them from tapping into risky ventures. The importance of a feasibility study is to establish whether or not a company, team, or organization will deliver on its promises in a satisfactory manner and a reasonable period of time.
  • Market Surveys & Industry Analyses
We come in with a detailed analyses of the dynamics of the industry as well as analyses of prospective competitors in the market and how clients’ businesses compare to others in the same niche, advising clients on strategies to implement to survive among resurgent competitors. We also work hand in hand with companies to help create customized solutions designed to deliver a competitive advantage.
  • Meet & Greet 
Our meet and greet function is a bespoke service dedicated to delivering the perfect travel experience for clients. We seek to assist investors with all incoming airport procedures, transit and departure, remaining fully available on arrival. The service also extends to securing temporary accommodation for investors during their stay in Ghana.
  • Business Matchmaking 
At Firstcode, we endeavour to create cooperative connections and realize business opportunities that mutually benefit those who seek prime opportunities to connect with people with common business interests to share ideas, offer complementary services, expertise, technology and business strengths.

We provide a prolific system efficient to assist business owners find, meet, and talk to new collaboration partners.
  • Immigration support services
Acquiring immigration documents to settle and do business in Ghana can be cumbersome and time consuming. However, this is an ineludible formality for investors.

Firstcode provides Immigration Support Services for foreign investors and individuals seeking to do business in Ghana. We ensure that all legal documents for your stay in the country are obtained. With us, the procedures in obtaining a work permit, residence permit and all other legal immigration documents are eased.
  • Waivers, Incentives and Exemptions
Firstcode Management Services assists clients in registering with the appropriate regulatory agencies, preparing the required documents and filing for a host of incentives, waivers and exemptions available to businesses operating in various economic sectors in Ghana.
  • Import and export facilitation
Import and export are important trade factors and regulations governing them are relatively strict and are to be adhered to. Firstcode saves clients the hustle and bustle of the ports by ensuring speedy and reliable customs clearance, securing cost-effective cargo facilities, assess goods to meet international standards and facilitate payment of port duties.