DUNS Corporate Linkage in Nigeria 2026: Adding Branches and Related Companies

Last Updated: July 14, 2026

Your business has grown. You've opened a branch in Abuja. Or you've incorporated a subsidiary. Or you have a group of related companies and you want them all connected in Dun & Bradstreet's global database.

This is called DUNS Corporate Linkage — and it's one of the most powerful but least understood features of the D&B system.

Here's everything Nigerian businesses need to know.

What Is DUNS Corporate Linkage?

Corporate linkage is D&B's system for connecting related business entities in their global database. When your companies are linked, D&B builds a corporate family tree that shows:

• The ultimate parent (the top-level holding company)
• Domestic parent (the parent company within the same country)
• Subsidiaries (companies you own or control)
• Branches (additional locations of the same legal entity)

Each entity in the family tree has its own DUNS number. The linkage tells D&B — and anyone searching their database — how these entities relate to each other.

Why Corporate Linkage Matters

For international tenders and procurement Many multinational companies and government agencies require vendors to declare their full corporate structure. If your subsidiary is bidding for a contract, the client may want to see the parent company's financial strength. Corporate linkage makes this visible automatically.

For business credit D&B's credit assessments consider the entire corporate family. A subsidiary with limited trading history can benefit from being linked to a well-established parent company with a strong D&B rating.

For group-wide credibility When a client searches any company in your group, they can see the full corporate structure. This signals stability, scale, and transparency — all of which build trust.

For app store and platform enrollments Some enterprise software platforms and app stores require corporate structure disclosure for group accounts. Having your entities properly linked in D&B simplifies this verification.

Important: Corporate Linkage Is for Private Company Limited by Shares Only

This is the most critical point in this entire article.

DUNS corporate linkage in Nigeria is only available for businesses registered as Private Company Limited by Shares (Ltd) with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

This means:

Business Type	Corporate Linkage Available?
Private Company Limited by Shares (Ltd)	✅ Yes
Business Name (Enterprise / Ventures)	❌ No
Sole Proprietorship	❌ No
Partnership	❌ No
Public Limited Company (Plc)	❌ No (different process)
NGO / Incorporated Trustee	❌ No

Why only Private Limited Companies?

Corporate linkage requires a verifiable legal ownership structure — shareholders, directors, share capital, and registered subsidiaries. Only Private Company Limited by Shares has this structure clearly documented in CAC records (Form 2, Form 7, Memorandum and Articles of Association).

Business names and sole proprietorships don't have shareholders or subsidiaries in the legal sense. They cannot own other entities or be owned by them in a way that D&B can verify and link.

If your business is currently registered as a business name and you want corporate linkage, you'll need to first convert to a Private Limited Company with CAC. We can advise on that process separately.

What Corporate Linkage Actually Involves: A New DUNS Registration

Here's something many businesses don't realize: corporate linkage is not just an update to an existing record.

Adding a branch or subsidiary to your D&B corporate family tree means registering a new DUNS number for that entity and then linking it to your existing DUNS.

Each entity in your corporate structure needs its own DUNS:

• Your parent company already has a DUNS ✅
• Your new Abuja branch needs its own DUNS → new registration
• Your subsidiary company needs its own DUNS → new registration
• Once both have DUNS numbers, we link them in D&B's system

This is why corporate linkage is priced the same as a new DUNS registration — because that's exactly what it involves, plus the additional linkage work.

The Corporate Linkage Process

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Before anything else, confirm:

• Your parent company is registered as a Private Company Limited by Shares with CAC
• The entity you want to link (branch or subsidiary) is also properly registered
• For subsidiaries: the ownership relationship is documented in CAC records
• For branches: the branch is registered as an additional place of business

Step 2: Register a DUNS for the New Entity

Each new branch or subsidiary needs its own DUNS number. This follows the same process as a standard DUNS registration:

• CAC certificate for the entity
• RC number
• CAC status report or Form 2/7
• TIN
• Physical address
• Director's valid ID
• Business contact information

Timeline: 5–7 working days (fast-track)

Step 3: Submit Corporate Linkage Request to D&B

Once both entities have DUNS numbers, we submit a corporate linkage request to D&B with:

• DUNS numbers for both entities
• Documentation proving the ownership/control relationship
• CAC documents showing shareholding structure
• Board resolution confirming the relationship (if required)

D&B reviews the documentation and, if approved, links the entities in their global database.

Timeline: 7–14 additional working days after DUNS registration

Step 4: Verify the Linkage

Once D&B confirms the linkage, we verify:

• Both entities appear in the correct positions in the corporate family tree
• The relationship type is correctly classified (parent/subsidiary/branch)
• The linkage is visible when either entity is searched on D&B

Documents Required for Corporate Linkage

For the Parent Company

• Existing DUNS number
• Current CAC certificate
• CAC status report (within 3 months)
• Form 2 (statement of share capital) showing ownership structure
• Form 7 (particulars of directors)

For the Subsidiary

• CAC certificate showing the parent company as a shareholder
• Form 2 showing the parent's shareholding percentage
• Form 7 (particulars of directors)
• TIN
• Physical address
• Director's valid ID

For a Branch (Additional Location)

• CAC branch registration certificate
• Evidence of the branch as an additional place of business
• Physical address of the branch
• Branch contact details

Additional Documents (May Be Required)

• Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Board resolution authorizing the branch/subsidiary
• Audited accounts showing the group structure (for complex structures)

Corporate Linkage Scenarios

Scenario 1: Parent Company + Subsidiary

Example: ABC Holdings Limited (Lagos) owns 100% of ABC Tech Solutions Limited (Abuja).

• ABC Holdings already has a DUNS: ✅
• Register new DUNS for ABC Tech Solutions
• Submit linkage showing ABC Holdings as domestic parent
• D&B links them: ABC Tech Solutions appears as subsidiary of ABC Holdings

Scenario 2: Company + Branch Office

Example: XYZ Consulting Limited has its head office in Lagos and opens a branch in Port Harcourt.

• XYZ Consulting (Lagos) already has a DUNS: ✅
• Register new DUNS for XYZ Consulting (Port Harcourt branch)
• Submit linkage showing Lagos office as the domestic parent
• D&B links them as the same legal entity at different locations

Scenario 3: Group of Companies

Example: A holding company with three operating subsidiaries.

• Register DUNS for each entity that doesn't have one
• Submit linkage requests for each parent-subsidiary relationship
• D&B builds the full corporate family tree

Note: Each entity in the group requires its own DUNS registration fee. The linkage work is included in our service.

Pricing

Corporate linkage involves registering a new DUNS for each new entity plus the linkage work. Our pricing follows the same structure as standard DUNS registration:

From ₦750,000 per entity (same as new DUNS registration)

This covers:

• New DUNS registration for the branch or subsidiary (5–7 days fast-track)
• All D&B fees and processing
• Document review and preparation
• Corporate linkage submission and follow-up
• Verification that the linkage is live and correct

For groups with multiple entities, contact us for a package quote.

Common Questions About Corporate Linkage

Q: Can I link a business name to my limited company? A: No. Corporate linkage requires both entities to be Private Company Limited by Shares. A business name cannot be a subsidiary or branch in D&B's corporate structure.

Q: My subsidiary is 51% owned by my company and 49% by another shareholder. Can it still be linked? A: Yes. D&B links entities based on majority ownership or control. 51% ownership qualifies your company as the domestic parent.

Q: Can I link companies in different countries? A: Yes. D&B supports international corporate linkage. A Nigerian parent company can be linked to a UK or US subsidiary. The process involves additional documentation and takes longer.

Q: What if my subsidiary already has a DUNS number? A: Even better — we skip the registration step and go straight to the linkage submission. This reduces the timeline and cost.

Q: Does corporate linkage affect each entity's individual D&B credit score? A: Each entity maintains its own D&B credit file. However, being part of a well-established corporate family can positively influence how D&B assesses each entity's creditworthiness.

Q: Can I remove a linkage if I sell a subsidiary? A: Yes. If ownership changes, the corporate linkage should be updated to reflect the new structure. This is an update request to D&B with documentation of the ownership change.

Q: How long does the full process take? A: DUNS registration for the new entity: 5–7 working days. Linkage processing: 7–14 additional working days. Total: approximately 2–3 weeks.

Q: My company is a Plc (Public Limited Company). Can I use this service? A: Public Limited Companies have a different D&B process. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.

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Is Your Business Ready for Corporate Linkage?

Before contacting us, confirm:

• Your parent company is registered as Private Company Limited by Shares with CAC
• Your parent company already has a DUNS number (or you're getting one)
• The entity you want to link is also a Private Limited Company or a registered branch
• You have current CAC documents showing the ownership/control relationship
• Directors' IDs are valid and not expired

If you're not sure about any of these, contact us and we'll assess your situation.

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Ready to Link Your Companies?

Contact Raspib Technology:

📞 +234 905 162 3555 📧 info@raspibtech.com 📍 SURA Shopping Complex, Simpson Street, Lagos Island 💬 Send us a message

Corporate Linkage Service: From ₦750,000 per entity | Timeline: 2–3 weeks

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Related Articles:

• How to Get a DUNS Number in Nigeria 2026
• How to Retrieve Your Lost DUNS Number in Nigeria
• How to Update Your DUNS Number Details in Nigeria

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About Raspib Technology

IT services company based in Lagos Island. We've helped over 100 Nigerian businesses with DUNS registration, retrieval, updates, and corporate linkage.

RC: 8957098 | DUNS: 669824701