Step One: Determine (if you don’t have that already) the business name you want to register. Make it as clear and straight forward as possible to help your customers easily remember it.

Step Two: Locate the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) office in your city (CAC has offices in many capital cities across the country) and file a business name. Search form costs not more than N500. After filling and submitting the form you will have to wait for about 1 to 2 weeks to know if the name you filed is available (it shouldn’t take as long as that but in Nigeria, sometimes, things are like that)

If the name you filled is unavailable you may have to fill another one. If the result shows that your business name is available you can proceed to the third step.

Step Three: Ask for the business name registration file. Pay the required charges at designed payment points (always ask an official at the CAC office)

Step Four:Fill the forms (ask questions where you are confused) and return. Make sure to collect receipt/proof of payment.

Step Five: Check back a week or two later and pick up your business name certification.

Note: You don’t need a lawyer to register your business unless you have a couple of thousands more to pay him for his services,

source: http://nairabrains.com/2011/09/how-to-get-your-business-name-registered-in-nigeria-with-less-stress/

Thanks

You're welcome.

nice one bro,

Happy to help with useful info

@ OP, thank you for the articulated information, please note however that CAC has re-designed the business name form which used to be a large green 4 pages card. It is now like an incorporation form and now has a column for accreditation number. It implies that from now on and with time, you may not be able to register business name without the input of a lawyer, chartered accountants and chartered secretaries.

Good Day,
I really thank you for your useful information given.May God be with you.

nice addition. It' s been quite sometime since I last registered a business name. Incorporation is now more like it though it may be a much costlier option.

omogidi234:

@ OP, thank you for the articulated information, please note however that CAC has re-designed the business name form which used to be a large green 4 pages card. It is now like an incorporation form and now has a column for accreditation number. It implies that from now on and with time, you may not be able to register business name without the input of a lawyer, chartered accountants and chartered secretaries.

Thats not true.Individuals can always register Business name themselves.Business name registration don't need accreditation number.And so far C.A.C. has no plan of using it.

omogidi234:

@ OP, thank you for the articulated information, please note however that CAC has re-designed the business name form which used to be a large green 4 pages card. It is now like an incorporation form and now has a column for accreditation number. It implies that from now on and with time, you may not be able to register business name without the input of a lawyer, chartered accountants and chartered secretaries.

Thats not true.Individuals can always register Business name themselves.Business name registration don't need accreditation number.And so far C.A.C. has no plan of using it.

@poster.The name search form(Availability form) cost N200.while the business name file/form cost N250.And filling fee is currently N4000, While filling you are to provide your 2 recent passport photograph,The full Nature of the business,your address and photocopy of relevant certificate(where the business is a professional one e.g Consultancy services,school,accounting/law firm E.t.c.).

Very useful info poster. Thanks. I paid N15k for a business name about 2 months ago and i was told by my lawyer that the cheapest LLC is about N60k. How true? Is it something I can process on my own too?

Thanks for the information

What if I need to set-up an online business (like a directory, sorta like a 411/yellow pages kind of business) about Nigeria but physically located in a different country, does this still apply as I don't mind registering the business to prevent any legal issues in the future. Thanks

thanks for ur info as its coming at a time i really need it. pls where is d CAC office in lagos.

There's one @ sabo, yaba, Lagos. Nice thread but i must add a line or two. You can pay somebody to get it done for you if you have no time to go through the processes or requirement, these days things a bit faster now. I can help just in case anybody here needs my help but before then go to their web site and get all the info you might need.

Registering a business name is not as difficult as people think it is, I filed my own last week and expecting it in the next two weeks.

Talking about business name registration, you can do it yourself, the only reason you can subscribe to agent is if you don't have the time to about it.

And again you can't spend up to 5000 for business registration, recently they introduce affidavit which will only cost you 100 at Alausa secretariat.

Goodluck not Goodluck jonathan

Good info here! !!

@misterpaul, your additional info is noted and appreciated. @blink182 you obviously overpaid for the biz name registration, The nigerian factor aside you should be paying about 10,000 for a business name. @lildamax it may be wiser to register it also here in Nigeria so nobody takes your name over here. You never knw you may need to use it legally in Nigeria in future. You can email me: info@nairabrains.com if you need help with that.

pls i need information on the amount that is charged on incorporating a company,is there any website that can be recommended to get more useful information on such issues

You can get your business incorporated with about 45,000 naira only if you intend to have not more than 100,000 naira share capital. The actual price for incorporation varies based on the amount fo share capital you wish to register. You can email me thru info[a]nairabrains.com for help.

You can download my eBook on how to register a business name for less than N5000
but the file seem too big.

contact me 07066704377

Don't think we need spamming here or half baked marketing Hector.

Most people don't know that the number of share capital you choose to use affects the amount you pay for incorporation

Can one register one's business online In Nigeria

This information would be really useful for all people, those want to start a new business. I was looking for this type of post & finally i got it. I am also going to start a software business in Nigeria that is why i would also follow steps recommended by you. I would also like to bookmark this page so that i can easily follow it,

Company registration in Nigeria | Law firms in Nigeria

sunkyg, for now CAC has not made it possible for online registration. I believe they will think in that direction soonest.

Can one change a Biz name that was reg, to an NGO? Is it possible, are there procedures to take?

Great info

@cashmentor, it is possible but I am nit sure about the process. You may have to walk into the nearest CAC office and ask them precisely.

hello , pls i have a question as regards business registeration. i actually started the process in september but for some persoal reasons i stoppped half way. i was wondering if the documents are still valid as i am hoping to start from where i stopped. thank u