NIGERIA: FG Launches 250,000 Free Business Registrations For MSMEs

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

In a step to support entrepreneurship and economic growth, the Federal Government has launched the free registration of 250,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative.

The initiative was officially flagged off at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

Speaking at the ceremony, the Registrar-General/CEO of CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), announced that all statutory fees would be waived, allowing selected MSMEs across the country to secure their business names without cost.

“The CAC will ensure a seamless process, enabling beneficiaries to receive their registration certificates without delay,” Magaji said, adding that SMEDAN will be responsible for mobilising, profiling, and preparing eligible businesses while issuing them unique identification numbers.

Magaji stressed that both agencies will jointly promote awareness, monitor progress, and share data responsibly to guarantee transparency and measurable impact.

On his part, the Director General/CEO of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, hailed the initiative as a landmark achievement for the Tinubu administration.

He noted that small businesses are critical to Nigeria’s GDP growth and underscored that the Renewed Hope Initiative has rolled out several empowerment schemes aimed at strengthening MSMEs.

“The 250,000 free business-name registration is a bold move that will formalise many small enterprises, giving them access to funding, markets, and opportunities that were previously out of reach,” Odii stated.

The highlight of the event was the formal signing of the MoU by both agencies, setting the stage for the implementation of the mass registration exercise.