The Machinery For Raising Capital By Companies Through Debt Finances In Nigeria

Authors

  • Kunle Aina Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Keywords:

Machinery, Capital, Companies, Debt finance, Rasing

Abstract

This study aimed at examining critically the legal machinery for creating debenture by companies, rights of the debentures holders and methods of enforcement of the debenture in Nigeria. The machinery for raising capital through debenture is not well articulated in the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990. The position of the law on the rights and duties of the parties to a floating charge is inadequate and reforms are urgently required as current edition of the law allows for fraud on unwary parties. This study’s submission was that the law be reviewed in such a way that many loopholes like the ninety day rule in Nigeria is changed, either reduced or changed to one of immediate notification of such transaction to the commission, to ensure some level of certainty in this area of the law. 

References

Paul L. Davies, Gower and Davies, Principles of Modern Company Law, 7th ed. Sweet and Maxwell

p. 806

Section 114 of Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 (CAMA), see also Burland Trustee v Steel

(1901) 1 Ch. 279 at 288

Section 130 CAMA 1990

Section 159, and section 160 CAMA 1990

Section 379 and section 380 CAMA 1990

Section 437 CAMA 1990

Cap. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004

Levy v Abercorris State and Slab Co. (1887) 36 Ch.D 215 per Chitty J., Knightsbridge Estates

Trust v Byrne (1940) AC 613

British India Steam Navigation Co. v IRC (1881) 7 Q.B.D. 172

Levy v Abercorris Slate and Slab Co. supra p. 260 at 264

Schedule 1, Para 2 of the FSMA 2000 (U. K)

Section 650 CAMA 1990

Union Bank of Nigeria Ltd and Others v Tropical Foods Ltd (1992) 3 NWLR (pt 228) 231 CA

Section 738, Companies Act 2006 (U.K) see also section 744 Companies Act 2005 (U.K)

Jelili Omotola, The Law of Secured Credit, Evans Brothers Nigeria Publishers Ltd, 2006 p. 165

Gardner v London Chatham and Dover Rly (1867) L.R. 2 Ch. 201

Section 169 CAMA 1990

Section 169(2) CAMA 1990

Section 170 CAMA 1990, section 740 C.A (U.K)

Izzet v Lee Ranker (1971) 1NLR 1788. Here a clause in a mortgage contract, which was stated to

be subject to a satisfactory mortgage was held void because of uncertainty. The clause is supposed

to be conditional finance clause that will state all the terms of the loan but it did not, hence it was

void.

Section 161(1) CAMA 1990

Section 197 CAMA 1990

Section 193 CAMA 1990

Section 749 C.A 2006 (UK)

Section 190 CAMA 1990

Section 191 CAMA 1990

Section 193(1) CAMA 1990

Section 193(2)

Section 171 CAMA 1990

Section 172 CAMA 1990

Section 173 (2) CAMA 1990

Section 173 (3) CAMA 1990

Section 174 CAMA 1990

Section 175 CAMA 1990

Section 183(1) CAMA 1990

See section 184 CAMA 1990

Omotola op. cit p. 167

Section 184(1) (m) (n). CAMA 1990

Section 185(2)

Section 185(1)

Paul Davies, op. cit p. 813

See Macauley v Nal Merchant Bank (1990) NWLR (pt 144) 1283 SC.

Under-contractors Nig. v UAC (1988) 2 NWLR (pt 76) 303 SC; Olukoya v Santili (1990) 2

NWLR (pt 131) 172 Sc

Consolidated Goldfields of South Africa v Summer and Jack East (1913) 82 LJ Ch. 214

Lord Machaughten in Illingworth v Houdsworth (1904) A.C. 355

Bristol Airport Plc v Powdrill (1990) Ch. 744 at 760

F. W. Fisher and J. M. Lightwood, Law of Mortgages, 9th edition, London 1977

R.R. Renington, "Fixed Charges Over Future Asset of a Company", the Company Lawyer, Vol. 6

No. 1 at 13

Fidelis Oditah, Legal Aspects of Receivables Financing, Sweet and Maxwell, 1991, W.J. Gough,

Company Charges, 2nd Edition, 1978 at 92 - 93.

Priorities will be considered below

Paul Davies op. cit pp 815-816

See generally, Goode, Commercial Law (2nd ed. London 1995)

(2001) 2 AC 710

R. M. Goode, Legal Problems of Credit and Security, 3rd ed., (Sweet and Maxwell) London 2003

p. III

Because of the legal requirement that the goods charged must be specifically described in the

instrument. See Bills of Sales Act 1878

R. M. Loode, op. cit footnote 54

(1878-9) 10 Ch.D 530 at 547

Ibid

R.R. Renington, 'Fixed charges, over future assets of a company", Lawyer, Vol. 6 No. 1 at 13

The event known as crystallization

Agnew v Commissioner of Inland Revenue op. cit

Paul Davies, op. cit p. 818-819

Re Armagh Shoes Ltd (1984) B.C.L. 405, Re Yorkshire Woolcombers' Association Ltd (1903) 2

Ch 284 at 295

(1903) 2 Ch. 284

See also Re Bond Worth Ltd (1980) Ch. 228

In National Westminister Bank Plc v Spectrum Plc Ltd (2004) EWCA Civ. 670

Agnew v Commissioner of Inland Revenue op. cit.

Re Yorkshire Woolcombers Association op.cit.

(2002) 2 BCLC 799

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National Westminister Bank Plc v Spectrum Plus Ltd op. cit.

Robson v Smith (1895) Ch. 118 at 124

Gifford, L.J in Re Panama New Zealand and Australian Royal Mail Co. op. cit

Government Stock Investment Co v Manila Railway (1904) AC 355

Evans v Rival Grounds Quarries (1910) 2 KB at 979

See Fletcher Moulton L.J in Government Stock Investment Co v Manila Railway (1904) AC 355

Government Stock Investment Co v Manila Railway Co op.cit. at 355

Re Yorkshire Woolcombers Association Ltd op. cit at 297

(1969) 121 CLR 529 at 556

Op. cit

Evans v Rival Grounds Quarries (1910) 2 KB at 994

Section 178(1)

Omotola op. cit p. 189

See Fletcher Moulton L.J in Evans v Granite Quarries Ltd op. cit at 991

Re Manurewa Transport Ltd (1910) 2 KB 979

See Banks L.J in National Provincial and Union Bank of England v Chorley (1924) 1 KB 431

W.J. Gough; Company Charges, Butterworths, 2nd edition, London 72 F. Oditah op.cit 207

Re Panama, New Zealand and Australian Royal Mail Co. op. cit.

See Gifford LJ. Ibid at 318

Omotola op. cit p. 195

Section 191(2) CAMA 1990

Section 192 CAMA 1990

Section 192 (2) CAMA 1990

Section 195 CAMA 1990

Section 191(1) CAMA 1990

Section 193 CAMA 1990

Section 395 1985 Companies Act, U.K

See CLRSG's consultation document registration of company charges (October 2000) para 379

Re Eric Holmes (Property) Ltd (1965) Ch. 1052; Re CL. Nye Ltd (1971) Ch. 442

Section 205 CAMA 1990, Section 404 1985 C.A U. K

See, Re K Johnson and Co Ltd (1902) 2 Ch. 101

Section 204 CAMA 1990

J.H. Farrar, 'The Crystallization of a Floating Charge" The Conveyance, Vol. 40 at 399

Section 178 CAMA 1990

Re Bright Life Ltd (1981) Ch. 200

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2023-11-27

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