CAC, SMEDAN rolls out free Registration for 25,000 MSMEs nationwide

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 nano, micro and small enterprises.

The initiative was announced during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday in Abuja between the two agencies as part of activities marking the second year in office of Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, Registrar-General, CAC and Charles Odii, Director-General, SMEDAN.

Formalisation has long been a hurdle for many small businesses, with cost, bureaucracy and lack of awareness keeping millions of entrepreneurs 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 and opportunities such as grants, capacity-building programmes, technical support and market linkages.

Speaking at the event, the CAC Registrar-General said that the scheme forms part of efforts under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to lower barriers for entrepreneurs, promote formalisation and strengthen Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem.

By waiving registration fees amounting to approximately ₦3 billion, Magaji explained that the CAC is removing a key obstacle that has long discouraged small businesses from entering the formal sector.

“This drive is about breaking down the barriers that keep too many of our small businesses informal. By removing the cost of business name registration for 250,000 businesses, we are helping more entrepreneurs take the first step toward growth, legitimacy, and access to bigger opportunities. It is also an investment in the MSME ecosystem, as the Commission is forgoing approximately ₦3 billion in registration fees to make this possible,”

SMEDAN Director-General added that formalisation provides access to continuous aftercare and opportunities for registered businesses.

“Formalization is the gateway to support. By ensuring that these businesses are registered and also onboarded into our database, we can provide continuous aftercare, whether that’s access to grants, training, or new markets. The first step for any MSME wishing to benefit is to register on our portal at portal.smedan.gov.ng,”

He added that every MSME in the database without a CAC registration will be offered the free registration initiative.

“For those who are not digital natives, SMEDAN State Offices nationwide will provide support, and at physical events such as our Business Clinics, the agency will also be available to onboard entrepreneurs,”

Odii added that the fear of taxation, which often discourages small businesses, has been addressed by reforms in the new tax framework taking effect in 2026, which raises the exemption threshold. “This collaboration with CAC is a practical way to give real meaning to the Renewed Hope agenda for our entrepreneurs.

“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,” he noted

To apply, applicants are to visit portal.smedan.gov.ng and complete the registration form. MSMEs already on SMEDAN’s database without CAC registration will automatically qualify for the free registration drive, and once registered with SMEDAN, beneficiaries will be contacted with the next steps for CAC certification.

Follow A H Bangalis Maiha