How to Register a Business Name in Nigeria
This article is for individuals who want to register their business in Nigeria under Part E of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020. This process is known as Business Name Registration. If you have seen older guides referring to Part B, that was the position under the previous CAMA, which was repealed in 2020.
A registered business name is one of five structures registrable with the Corporate Affairs Commission. The others are incorporated companies, limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, and incorporated trustees. Limited liability partnerships and limited partnerships are newer options and are now available nationwide — worth a look if you are going into business with a partner and want limited liability without forming a company.
Two things to know before you begin
A business name is not a separate legal person. Unlike a company, a business name has no corporate personality. You and the business are the same in law, which means unlimited personal liability for business debts. This is the single most important difference between the two structures, and you can read more here: Limited Liability v Business Name.
You may not need to register at all — but there is a deadline if you do. Section 814 requires registration where the business name is something other than your own true surname with only your forenames or initials added. So “Chidi Okeke” trading as Chidi Okeke does not need registration; “Chidi Okeke Fabrics” does. Where registration is required, it must be done before you commence business, or an application must be submitted within 28 days of commencing business under that name.
Most people should register regardless. Banks will not open a business account without it, and an unregistered name is a name someone else can take.
Step 1 — Choose and reserve a name
Decide on your name and apply to the CAC through its online portal, proposing alternate names in case your first choice is unavailable. The CAC searches its database to confirm the name is not already registered and is not confusingly similar to an existing one. Note that certain words — those suggesting government affiliation, or terms like “Bank,” “Holdings” or “Group” — require specific consent.
If approved, the name is reserved for you for 60 days, within which you are expected to complete the registration.
To use the portal you will need to create an account using your name, email, phone number and National Identification Number (NIN), with two-factor verification.
Step 2 — Complete the registration form
This is also done online, on Form CAC/BN 1. You will provide:
- The approved name of the business
- The general nature of the business
- The address of the business
- The name, address, occupation and other particulars of each proprietor
- The signature of each proprietor
If you are registering a partnership, note that a partnership cannot exceed 20 members — beyond that you must incorporate as a company.
Step 3 — Pay the filing fee
Paid online through the portal. Before you pay, check whether a free registration window is open: in September 2025 the CAC and SMEDAN partnered to register 250,000 micro and small businesses at no cost, and further cycles have been expected during 2026. Announcements appear on the CAC’s official channels and on smedan.gov.ng.
Step 4 — Submit and download
Once payment clears, submit the application. The CAC reviews the documentation and, if all is in order, approves the registration. Your business name is entered in the Register of Business Names, and your Certificate of Registration is issued.
The certificate is downloaded from your CAC dashboard — there is nothing to collect from an office. It carries a QR code that banks, agencies and counterparties can scan to verify it against the live CAC register.
Note the wording: it is a certificate of registration, not of incorporation. This is what you have, and it is what you should present.
Registration is frequently completed within a few working days. Where it drags, the cause is almost always a rejected name or a mismatch between your uploaded identity documents and your portal details, rather than CAC backlog.
After you register
Three things to remember:
Your tax identity is already sorted. Since 2026, your CAC registration number serves as your Tax ID. There is no separate tax registration step, and the old route of registering for VAT in order to obtain a TIN is obsolete.
File your annual returns. Business names must file annual returns using Form CAC/BN 6 under section 822 of CAMA to keep their details current. Late filing attracts penalties, and the CAC has become considerably more aggressive about non-compliance — it has been striking entities off the register in large batches over unfiled returns. Registration is the start of an ongoing obligation, not the end of a task.
Keep your particulars updated. Changes to your business address, the nature of the business, the proprietors or other registered particulars must be notified to the CAC.
Two ways you can lose the name
The CAC can cancel a registered business name where it is found to be deceptive, misleading, or otherwise in breach of CAMA. And CAMA 2020 introduced a route for third parties to object to a registered business name before the Administrative Proceedings Committee. If someone believes your name trespasses on theirs, they now have a formal channel — and if someone has registered a name too close to yours, so do you.
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We hope you have found this information helpful. Please note that this information is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. No lawyer-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. It is not intended to substitute for the advice of a qualified lawyer. If you require legal advice, please consult with a qualified lawyer.