Non-Profit Organisations Secretariat (NPOS)

The NPO Secretariat is a state agency set up under the Non-Profit Organisation Policy 2020 and Directives 2020 to create an effective regulatory and coordinating mechanism for the non-profit sector. It licenses organisations to operate as NPOs, keeps and publishes a list of NPOs in good standing, sets standards and codes of practice, and supervises NPOs at risk of money laundering or terrorist financing using a risk-based approach. It also liaises between government and the sector and advises the Minister on policy.

An organisation first incorporates as a company limited by guarantee with the Office of the Registrar of Companies under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992); community-based organisations instead register with their Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly and provide a Social Inquiry Report. It then applies to the NPO Secretariat for an operating licence, submitting the national or international licensing form and paying a non-refundable fee by bank draft. The Secretariat applies a fit and proper test before issuing the licence, which normally takes 10 to 15 working days. Licences are valid for one year and must be renewed annually, with renewal forms submitted at least a month before expiry. Renewal requires audited financial statements (unaudited for CBOs), an operational report, a tax clearance certificate, a beneficial ownership profile and proof of fee payment. Late renewal more than three months after expiry attracts a penalty, and operating without a licence is an offence.