The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on Friday hosted a special edition of its Business Clinic in Abuja to clarify details surrounding the Federal Government’s ongoing free business name registration initiative for 250,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Apply for your free CAC business today: FG Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Opens Free Registration for 250,000 Businesses
The session, which featured the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), provided an opportunity for Nigerian entrepreneurs to directly engage with CAC leadership and gain practical understanding of the registration process, eligibility requirements, and timelines.
According to SMEDAN, the event was organized to help small business owners formalize their operations without financial burden, especially as many have expressed concerns about the complexity and cost of registration.
The initiative aims to encourage informal traders, startups, and artisans to take advantage of the opportunity to register their businesses, thereby increasing their access to loans, grants, and market opportunities.
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Participants at the event were educated on the long-term benefits of formal registration, which include eligibility for government contracts, access to NIN-linked bank accounts, brand protection, and improved business credibility in both local and international markets.
The Business Clinic, held at SMEDAN’s headquarters in Garki, Abuja, was also accessible virtually through Google Meet, allowing participation from MSMEs across different parts of the country.
The hybrid format ensured that business owners nationwide could join the discussion and benefit from expert guidance.
During the interactive session, SMEDAN officials also highlighted other ongoing programs such as capacity-building workshops, cluster support schemes, and workspace access initiatives designed to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of Nigerian MSMEs.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to helping small businesses transition from informal to formal operations, noting that registration is only the first step toward long-term business growth.
By bridging gaps between entrepreneurs and key government agencies, SMEDAN said it hopes to create a more organized and thriving MSME ecosystem in Nigeria.
The Business Clinic was widely praised by participants, who described it as timely and insightful, particularly for young entrepreneurs and digital startups eager to scale their ventures within Nigeria’s growing business landscape.
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