The Federal Government has opened access to 250,000 free business name registrations for eligible entrepreneurs across Nigeria as part of efforts to support the growth and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The initiative, approved under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is designed to ease the cost of formalising small businesses and encourage more entrepreneurs to register their businesses.

Interested and eligible entrepreneurs have been advised to apply through the official SMEDAN portal at portal.smedan.gov.ng to become beneficiaries of the programme.

The registration is completely free, with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) expected to process the business name registration without charging applicants.

The government also warned entrepreneurs to be wary of fraudsters who may attempt to exploit the programme.

Applicants have been advised not to pay anyone claiming to have the ability to fast-track or secure their registration, as no payment is required for the approved free registration.

Entrepreneurs seeking to benefit from the initiative are therefore encouraged to use only the official SMEDAN portal and avoid sharing payments or personal information with unauthorised agents. (Vanguard)

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