Generally, the same person can be appointed to be a director and a company secretary and the person can also be a shareholder in the company. The only caveat relates to when a document is required to be signed by a director and a company secretary, the same person cannot sign in both capacities
This means that a private company may appoint one of its directors as a company secretary since every person eligible for a position of the director of a private company under CAMA are also eligible or qualified to be the company secretary.
One very important point, however, is that although foreigners are can be appointed as directors of any company in Nigeria, he/she cannot be a secretary of any company in Nigeria. Therefore, any director of a company not resident in Nigeria is not eligible to be a company secretary under Nigerian law.
