OTORTERRADUBAI × ACCRA
International business professionals walking through the Dubai International Financial Centre in bright daylight

Africa → Dubai → Global

Build Your Business in Dubai. Expand Beyond Borders.

Business setup and company formation support for African founders and companies entering Dubai and the UAE.

We help you understand how Dubai can become a strategic base for business, investment, international trade and global expansion.

Ask our AI Concierge Use the guided form Talk to our team

Section 02

Why are you considering Dubai?

Start a company

Establish a UAE business designed around what you actually want to do.

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Expand my existing business

Create a Dubai base for an existing African company.

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Trade internationally

Use Dubai as a strategic base for regional and international trade.

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Access global markets

Connect your African business with customers, partners and opportunities beyond Africa.

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Build an international headquarters

Explore Dubai as a regional or international base for your business.

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Invest in Dubai

Explore business and investment opportunities in the UAE.

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Buy Dubai property

Start a guided Dubai property investment journey.

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Structure follows strategy

We don't start with a free zone. We start with your business.

The right UAE structure depends on what your business does, where your customers are, how you generate revenue and what you want Dubai to become within your international strategy.

Free Zone

One possible route, depending on activity, ownership and operating model.

Mainland

Another possible route where local market activity or specific activities apply.

Other appropriate UAE structure

Alternative arrangements may be relevant depending on circumstances.

We do not make legal conclusions online. The appropriate structure is determined through discussion and, where required, qualified professional advice.

  1. 01

    Your business

    What you do and how you generate revenue.

  2. 02

    Your markets

    Where your customers, suppliers and partners are.

  3. 03

    Your activities

    The commercial activities the licence must cover.

  4. 04

    Your UAE requirements

    Residency, office, people and operations.

  5. 05

    The right structure

    A structure that follows your strategy.

Your Dubai business journey

From Africa to your Dubai base.

01

Understand your business

Current company, industry, customers, markets and international goals.

02

Design the UAE structure

Assess suitable jurisdiction, activities and operational requirements.

03

Company establishment

Support the formation and documentation process.

04

Residency & operations

Where applicable, support the practical requirements around residency, office and operational setup.

05

Banking & business infrastructure

Prepare for banking and the practical infrastructure required to operate. Bank-account approval is decided by the bank and is never guaranteed.

06

Global expansion

Use Dubai as a base for international business development, partnerships and market access.

Your Dubai base

What can your Dubai base support?

International business team meeting in a modern Dubai office in daylight

International consulting

Advisory and professional services delivered across markets from a UAE base.

Technology

Software, digital services and technology commercialisation.

Trade

Regional and international trading, sourcing and distribution.

Automotive

Vehicle trade, parts, mobility and dealer network activity.

Investment

Investment activity and international capital relationships.

Market entry

A base to enter the Middle East and adjacent markets.

Global business development

Partnerships, distribution and international growth activity.

Holding / international structures

Explore appropriate international business structures with qualified professional advice where required.

Africa × Dubai

Africa is building global businesses. Dubai can be part of that journey.

Dubai is not only a destination for foreign companies entering the Middle East. It can also provide African founders and businesses with access to international markets, global business networks and a strategic operating environment.

Start

African business

Base

Dubai base

Middle East

Regional customers, partners and trade routes.

Asia

Sourcing, technology and manufacturing relationships.

Europe / US

International customers, capital and partnerships.

Global markets

Dubai company setup

Build the right company for what comes next.

Company formation in Dubai is only the beginning. We help you think through the business behind the licence — your activities, customers, banking requirements, operational needs and international growth plans.

Business activity

What will the company actually do?

Jurisdiction

Which UAE structure is appropriate for the business?

Residency & operations

Who needs to live, work or operate from the UAE?

Banking readiness

What information and business substance will be needed for banking preparation?

Business setup in UAE covers company formation, banking, residency and regulatory requirements, which depend on individual circumstances and relevant UAE rules. Approval is not guaranteed.

Banking

Build for banking readiness from day one.

Establishing a company and opening a corporate bank account are two separate processes. Banks assess each application independently, and no adviser can guarantee approval.

A strong banking application begins with a clear and credible business profile.

Discuss your business structure
  1. 01Business model
  2. 02Source of funds
  3. 03Customer / supplier profile
  4. 04Expected transactions
  5. 05Business documentation
  6. 06Banking preparation

Dubai property

Business. Property. A longer-term Dubai strategy.

For some founders and investors, establishing a business in Dubai is only one part of a wider international strategy.

Our network can also connect clients with appropriate licensed Dubai real estate professionals for property investment enquiries.

Explore Dubai property

We are not a licensed Dubai real estate brokerage and we do not publish property listings. Property enquiries are referred to appropriately licensed professionals.

Modern Dubai business district architecture in bright daylight

Dubai × Accra

Two business hubs. One international journey.

Modern Accra business district in daylight

Accra

West Africa intelligence, local networks, African companies and opportunities.

Modern Dubai business district in daylight

Dubai

International business, global markets, investment, technology and connectivity.

From an African business base to an international business base — we help connect the journey.

Global connections

Beyond Dubai.

Our wider network creates connections across Africa, Japan and international markets.

Network

Africa

Network

Dubai

Network

Japan

Network

Europe

Network

US

Network

Asia

Market access through partners and network connections. This does not indicate a physical office in each location.

Intelligence

Dubai intelligence

View all intelligence →
Accra business district at golden hour seen from an office interior, with company documents and a laptop on the desk — illustrative editorial image

Investment

How to Start a Business in Ghana: Registration, GIPC, Local Partners & Next Steps

20 September 2026

Foreign companies and founders can establish and operate a business in Ghana, but the correct route depends on the activity, the ownership structure, the sector and whether investment registration or sector approvals apply. This guide separates company registration, investment registration, tax registration, immigration and sector licensing — five distinct processes that are often collapsed into one — and sets out what to prepare before speaking to anyone about a structure.

Read insight →
Dubai business district skyline at golden hour viewed from an office interior with documents and a laptop in the foreground — illustrative editorial image

Dubai × Africa

How to Start a Business in Dubai as a Foreigner: Cost, Free Zone, Mainland & Next Steps

19 September 2026

Foreign nationals can and do establish companies in Dubai, but the structure that works depends on the business activity, where customers and payments sit, visa needs, banking expectations and expansion plans. This guide sets out the practical sequence, the variables that actually move setup cost, the honest difference between Free Zone and Mainland, and the questions to answer before engaging a setup consultant.

Read insight →
Port container terminal, grain silos and light-industrial warehousing beside a city business district at golden hour — illustrative editorial image

Investment

How to Invest in Africa: Markets, Risks & Practical Entry Steps

11 September 2026

This guide is written for companies, strategic investors, technology providers and operators rather than portfolio investors. ORTERRA's view is that market conditions and execution pathways should be evaluated before capital is deployed, so the guide sets out how business investment into African markets is structured in practice: defining an investment thesis, selecting a country rather than a continent, validating demand, choosing an entry model, completing regulatory and banking due diligence, verifying local partners, and piloting before scaling. Ghana is used as a working West Africa case study, not as a claim that it is the best country.

Read insight →

Questions

Frequently asked questions about starting a business in Dubai

Practical answers to the questions international founders ask most before choosing a setup route.

Start with your business, not with a package.

Tell ORTERRA what your business does, where your customers are and what you want Dubai to help you achieve.

Start your Dubai journey Ask the AI Concierge
Read the full Dubai setup guide →

Dubai journey

Start your Dubai journey

Tell us about your business and what you want Dubai to help you achieve. We will come back to you on the right route for business setup in Dubai and what it involves.

Step 1 of 9

What do you want to do?

Your Dubai base starts with your business.

Tell us where your business is today and where you want it to go next.

Start your Dubai journey Talk to our team