Thousands of businesses that began registration but never completed the process are on the verge of being struck off the Business Registration Service (BRS) platform if action is not taken before August 14, 2025.
The BRS has issued a formal notice targeting two categories of applicants: those who created draft applications and failed to submit them between 2017 and 2024, and those whose applications were flagged for correction between 2017 and 2021 but were never rectified.
These stalled records, some over seven years old, will soon be purged from the system to enhance functionality and ensure legal compliance.
While explaining the reason behind the directive, BRS Director-General Kenneth Gathuma stated that the step is essential to keep registration records current and compliant.
“To maintain compliance and ensure your business records remain active in the Companies Registry, entities with pending Link Business applications are required to regularise their applications by August 14, 2025,” Gathuma said.
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He further warned, “Failure to do so will result in the application being archived and rendered inaccessible for further processing.”
The decision, according to BRS, is not merely administrative.
The agency is seeking to relieve strain on its systems and uphold the provisions of the Companies Act, ensuring that digital space is reserved for active and compliant entities.
While the directive affects no specific industry, it is expected to impact thousands of individuals and companies who may have abandoned the registration process midway, some without realising the long-term implications.
BRS, a state corporation founded under the Business Registration Service Act, 2015, has the legal mandate to administer various commercial laws, including the Companies Act and the Limited Liability Partnerships Act.
By clearing out inactive records, it hopes to optimise registry performance while encouraging businesses to operate within the framework of the law.
The authority has not released figures to show how many applications remain pending, but the volume is said to be substantial enough to slow down registry operations.
Entities that ignore the directive will not only lose access to their submissions but may also have to start afresh, risking the loss of previously reserved names and documents.
No extensions to the deadline have been announced, making this notice the final opportunity for compliance.
The BRS has encouraged all affected parties to log into the platform, review the status of their application, and take the necessary steps to either submit or correct their entries before the cut-off date.
As the countdown continues, businesses caught in limbo now face a simple choice: regularise or be removed permanently.
