The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have unveiled a nationwide initiative to provide free business name registration for 250,000 nano, micro, and small enterprises (MSMEs).
The programme was formally announced in Abuja during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies.
According to a joint statement issued on Friday, the scheme is part of activities marking the second year in office of CAC Registrar-General Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN) and SMEDAN Director-General Charles Odii, both appointed in October 2023.
For many small businesses, the high cost of registration, complex bureaucracy, and limited awareness have kept them in the informal sector, denying them access to finance, markets, and government support.
The CAC–SMEDAN initiative removes these barriers by covering registration costs and enrolling beneficiaries in SMEDAN’s MSME database.
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Through this database, businesses will access aftercare services, capacity-building programmes, grants, technical support, and market linkages.
Speaking at the launch, Magaji described the programme as part of ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aimed at expanding opportunities for small businesses.
He noted that Nigeria was “witnessing unprecedented investment in infrastructure, exchange rate unification, and targeted support such as the N200 billion economic assistance programme for nano businesses, SMEs, and manufacturers.”
He further explained that the Commission would be foregoing about ₦3 billion in registration fees to make the initiative possible.
SMEDAN’s DG, Odii, said the campaign was designed to reduce the number of unregistered businesses and lower the collapse rate of SMEs nationwide.
“Formalisation is the gateway to support. Every MSME in our database without CAC registration will be offered this free registration initiative,” he stated.
He added that SMEDAN state offices and physical events such as Business Clinics would assist entrepreneurs, especially those who are not digitally inclined.
Odii also addressed common fears of taxation, clarifying that new tax reforms effective from 2026 would raise the exemption threshold for small businesses.
Both agencies commended President Tinubu for his commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem through policies aligned with the Renewed Hope agenda.
How to Apply
- Visit portal.smedan.gov.ng and complete the registration form.
- MSMEs already in SMEDAN’s database without CAC registration will automatically qualify.
- Once registered, beneficiaries will be contacted with next steps for CAC certification.
Image Credit: The Nation Newspaper
