The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have launched a nationwide drive to provide free business registration for 250,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
The free business name registration drive is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem by promoting formalization and reducing barriers to growth, in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope vision.
The initiative was announced in Abuja on Friday, September 26, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies.
Formalization has long been a challenge for many small businesses, with cost, bureaucracy, and lack of awareness keeping millions in the informal sector. This often denies them access to finance, markets, and government support. The new CAC–SMEDAN scheme removes these barriers by covering the cost of registration and linking beneficiaries directly to SMEDAN’s MSME database.
Through this database, registered businesses will gain access to aftercare services and opportunities such as grants, capacity-building programmes, technical support, and market linkages.
CAC Registrar-General Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, emphasized that the free registration drive is aimed at breaking barriers that keep many businesses informal by removing the cost of registration and helping entrepreneurs’ access growth opportunities.
SMEDAN Director-General, Dr. Charles Odii added that formalization is the gateway to support, noting that registered businesses will benefit from continuous aftercare such as grants, training, and market access.
Together, they highlighted that the initiative represents a major investment in Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem, with CAC foregoing about ₦3 billion in fees, while SMEDAN provides the support system to ensure businesses not only register but also thrive.
They agreed that this collaboration gives practical meaning to the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda by lowering barriers and creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs.
HOW TO APPLY
- Visit the SMEDAN portal: portal.smedan.gov.ng
- Sign up and complete your registration on the portal.
- When asked if you have a CAC number, select “No”.
- Submit your details to complete the process.
- Once registration is completed, you will be contacted with the next steps to finalize your free CAC registration.
