Many people do not know that it does not require a rocket science to register their businesses by themselves. Therefore, this article is for those individuals who are interested in registering their business entity in Nigeria under Part A of the Companies and Allied Matters Act. This process is known as Business Name Registration.

There are three main parts under which an entity could be registered in Nigeria:
Part A..Business Names
Part B..Limited Companies
Part CIncorporated Trustees

While businesses could be registered under any of Part A or Part B, Non-Profit organization is registered under Part C. The requirements and the procedure of registration under each of the parts are different.

The following steps are to be followed in order to register Business Name
STEP 1
Availability and Reservation The first step is to decide on what name to use to register your business, the process is done online. You will apply to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and suggest two alternate names for your business. The CAC will conduct a search in its database to ensure that the name is not already in use or there is no similar name already in use. If the CAC approves the name, then it will reserve the name for you for a 60-day period. During this period it is expected that you will complete the registration process for your business name.

STEP 2
Complete the Business Name Registration Forms As with step 1 above, this can also be completed online. The information required to be completed includes:

Approved Name of the Business
General Nature of the Business
Address of the Business
Name, Address, Occupation and other details of the Proprietors of the Business
Signature of the Proprietors
Recognized Identity Card of the proprietor

STEP 3
Payment of CAC Filing Fees The payment of the fees can be done online or can be completed in a bank.

STEP 4
Submission of Forms Once the payment has been approved, you may then submit the forms online, the CAC will review the documentation and if all is in order the CAC will then notify the registrant that the application has been approved, and the Business Name Certificate is ready for collection.

Here are steps to register your businesses online
1. Go to services.cac.gov.ng
2. Create your Account
3. Login to your Account
4. Conduct Availability and Reservation of Name Search
5. Register your Business Online
6. Pay filing fee online.
7. Download the document and take to Commissioner of Oath for signing


STEP BY STEP DETAILS TO REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE
Click on create an account on the home page of the Portal. Complete the forms displayed
ACCREDITED USERS should select ARE YOU AN ACCREDITED CUSTOMER? and enter their accreditation number in this format for individual NBA/IND/67345, NBA/FM/65432. Accredited users should enter the e-mail address used during accreditation. Enter the catcher as displayed in the box. Click on submit.
FOR GENERAL USERS, the system will display the pre-entered USER NAME and the auto-generated PASSWORD immediately, but accredited users are mailed their USER NAME and PASSWORD after approval at the back office.

ACCESSING THE CRP AFTER ACCOUNT CREATION
Enter the USER NAME and PASSWORD.Click on LOGINAccept terms of use.Change your PASSWORD.You can thereafter transact business with the commission using your profile without any interruption.
CONDUCT AVAILABILITY
Before you proceed to conduct the Availability please perform a public search here to check if your name is available to prevent you from conducting an Availability Search on an already taken name, the payment you will make is non-refundable, so you should ensure your name is not already taken before proceeding

Log in using your profile details. Select NEW NAME RESERVATION. Complete the forms displayed.
Always make use of the CONTINUE button until you get to the end of the form and make payment.
TO VIEW AVAILABILITY APPROVAL
Log in with your profile and Click on ACTION button on the name already reserved.
Click on DOWNLOAD OF NAME APPROVAL. The system will download the document at the base of your computer system.
Click on the OPEN option, the approved availability will be displayed.
This is where you see the availability serial number that is required for registration.
Log in with your profile.
Select REGISTRATION Select New Registration

Select the classification that is BUSINESS NAME, or COMPANY, or INCORPORATED TRUSTEE.
Enter the availability serial code. Click on continue.
Enter the details of the PROPRIETOR, his address, phone number, Date of birth, E-mail Address, and the number on his identity Cards.
Click on payment and you will be directed to Remita page where you will have the opportunity of paying online through your ATM card.


TO DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT:
After payment the next will be to download your document, print it and take it to any nearby court to have it signed by the Commissioner for oath and also the appropriate column will be signed by the proprietor

TO UPLOAD DOCUMENT ON DOCUMENT UPLOAD
Go to the commissions web site http://docupload.cac.gov.ng/docUpload/Enter the Business name AVAILABILITY CODE.
Select the ORIGINATING OFFICE (THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL PICK UP THE CERTIFICATE).
Select I AM NOT A ROBOT then follow the instruction.
Click on BEGIN.
Select the type of document to be attached one after the other and attach each one after properly identifying same.
After attaching all the documents click on submit.
Documents to be uploaded for business Name Registration
Properly signed downloaded Application forms
A copy of Identity Card
Availability approval notice
Receipt of payment for Filing

AFTER UPLOAD WHATS NEXT
The Commission will rely on the uploaded documents to treat your application. The certificate will be generated by the Commission and all relevant documents will be certified. You dont have to go to the Commission to follow up on the status of your application; you can check the status of your application on the portal. There is a column that reads STATUS on your profile. This will show the state or status of the application, it will show NOT SUBMITTED, or SUBMITTED, or PENDING APPROVAL, or APPROVED depending on the stage the application is.
Also, note that where the application is approved and certificate generated the Registration number will be displayed on the column for REGISTRATION NUMBER.
When the status reads APPROVED and Registration number displayed, then you can approach the office where you had selected as the DROP-OFF/PICK UP OFFICE or ORIGINATING OFFICE with the original copy of the document that you had earlier printed and uploaded. You should submit the originals in exchange for the certificate and CTCs.

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