Here is the silent killer of Nigerian small businesses: people spend 6 months ‘planning’ to register, then another 12 months ‘planning’ to build a website. By the time they actually start, a competitor with a basic CAC certificate and a one-page website is already eating their lunch on Google.
Both halves of this process — CAC registration and going online — are now faster, cheaper, and more DIY-friendly than they have ever been. In 2026 you can go from "I have an idea" to "I have a registered company with a live website and Paystack" in under three weeks for around ₦200,000 total.
At Etest Tech Hub we walk Nigerian entrepreneurs through this exact path every week. Here is the playbook.
Part 1 — Register Your Business with CAC (Step by Step)
Step 1: Pick & reserve 2 business names
Visit pre.cac.gov.ng, create an account, pay ₦500 per name search, and submit two name options (CAC will pick one). Tip: avoid restricted words like ‘Bank’, ‘Federal’, ‘National’ — they trigger manual review and delays of 2–3 weeks.
Step 2: Choose your business structure
Business Name (BN, sole trader, ₦20,000) is fastest. Limited Liability Company (LTD) costs ₦25,000–₦50,000 depending on share capital but lets you take investment, win corporate contracts, and protects your personal assets. If you’ll do anything beyond ₦10m/year, register LTD.
Step 3: Upload your KYC documents
You’ll need: passport photos, NIN slip, valid ID (NIN, voter’s card, driver’s licence, or international passport), proof of address, and signed Form CAC 1.1. Use clear scans — blurry uploads are the #1 reason for rejection.
Step 4: Pay registration fees online
All payments are via Remita or card directly on CAC portal. BN: ₦20,000. LTD with ₦1m share capital: ₦25,000. Add ₦5,000–₦10,000 for stamp duty and certified true copies. Avoid agents charging ₦80k–₦150k — most overcharge by 3–5x.
Step 5: Wait 1–14 days for approval
Business Names are usually approved in 24–72 hours. LTD takes 5–14 working days. You’ll receive: Certificate of Incorporation, CTC of Memorandum & Articles, and your unique RC number. Save these as PDFs forever — banks, contracts, and government will ask for them constantly.
Step 6: Open your corporate bank account
With your CAC certificate + RC number + 2 directors’ IDs + utility bill, you can open a corporate account at GTBank, Access, Zenith, Wema, or Moniepoint Business in under 48 hours. This is the moment your business becomes a real entity, separate from your personal wallet.
Part 2 — Take That Business Online (Within 30 Days of CAC Approval)
Getting the CAC certificate is just the receipt. The actual business begins when paying customers can find you, trust you, and pay you without ever meeting you. That requires going online — properly.
Step 1: Buy a .com or .com.ng domain
₦8,000–₦15,000/year via Whogohost, QServers or Namecheap. .com is best for international reach; .com.ng is great for local Nigerian SEO. Buy them both if you can afford ₦20k — squat the other to protect your brand.
Step 2: Get reliable hosting (with African servers)
Skip shared cPanel hosting in the US. Use Whogohost (Lagos servers), Vercel, or Cloudflare Pages. African server = faster loading for Nigerian visitors = lower bounce rate. Read our article on Nigerian website bounce rate for the data.
Step 3: Build a 5-page business website
Home, About, Services, Portfolio/Gallery, Contact. Display your RC number prominently — Nigerian buyers and procurement officers actively look for it. Cost: ₦150,000–₦450,000 depending on complexity.
Step 4: Claim & verify your Google Business Profile
Free, takes 7–14 days. Once verified, you start showing up on Google Maps when people search ‘[your service] near me’. This single move can bring 100+ leads/month for local businesses.
Step 5: Integrate Paystack or Flutterwave
Both accept your CAC documents for KYC. You get card, transfer, USSD and POS payments in one integration. Settlement is T+1 (next day). No more chasing alerts.
Step 6: Connect your website to WhatsApp Business
Add a wa.me/2348… link as a floating button on every page. Nigerians convert 3x better when they can chat before they pay. We never ship a Nigerian client website without it.
Total Cost Breakdown (Honest Numbers)
| Item | Cost (₦) |
|---|---|
| CAC name reservation (2 names) | 1,000 |
| CAC Business Name registration | 20,000 |
| Optional: LTD registration upgrade | +10,000 |
| Domain (.com or .com.ng) 1 year | 10,000 |
| Hosting (1 year, decent shared) | 25,000 |
| 5-page business website (starter) | 150,000 |
| Google Business Profile setup | Free |
| Paystack / Flutterwave setup | Free |
| Total to go from idea → live business | ₦206,000 |
Related Reading (Don’t Skip These)
- How Much Does a Website Cost in Nigeria? (2026 Price Guide)
- 7 Features Every Nigerian Business Website Needs
- Google Business Profile Nigeria: Complete 2026 Guide
- How to Accept Dollar Payments on Your Nigerian Website
- How to Build a Website That Wins Government Contracts
- How to Sell on WhatsApp Business in Nigeria
Common Pitfalls That Cost Nigerian Entrepreneurs Thousands
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does CAC registration cost in Nigeria in 2026?
Business Name (sole proprietor): ₦20,000 total. Limited Liability Company with ₦1m share capital: ₦25,000–₦35,000. Add ₦500 per name reservation. These are the direct CAC fees — anyone charging you ₦80,000+ for a basic BN registration is overpricing. Use the official portal at pre.cac.gov.ng.
Can I register my business with CAC by myself online?
Yes, 100%. The CAC portal at pre.cac.gov.ng is designed for self-service. You only need an accredited agent for complex LTD structures with foreign shareholders or share capital above ₦100m. For 90% of Nigerian SMEs, self-registration is fine and saves ₦40,000–₦100,000.
How long does CAC registration take in 2026?
Business Names: 24–72 hours if your documents are clean. Limited Liability Companies: 5–14 working days. Add 7+ days if any document needs correction. The biggest delay is always blurry passport photos or wrong NIN slips — get them right the first time.
Do I need to register with CAC before I can build a website?
Technically no — you can build a website without CAC. But you cannot open a corporate bank account, integrate Paystack/Flutterwave for business, or bid for serious contracts without it. Most clients ask for your RC number before paying you. Register first, build second.
Which is better for a small business: Business Name or Limited Liability Company?
Business Name if you’re solo, doing under ₦25m/year, and don’t plan to take investment. LTD if you have a co-founder, want to protect personal assets, plan to scale beyond ₦25m, or want to win corporate/government contracts. LTD costs only ₦5,000–₦15,000 more — usually worth it.
Do I need a website immediately after CAC registration?
Yes — and the gap between registration and getting online costs Nigerian businesses millions. Within 30 days of getting your RC number, you should have: (a) a corporate bank account, (b) a basic website displaying that RC number, (c) a verified Google Business Profile, (d) Paystack/Flutterwave live. See our guide on why your business needs a website in 2026.
Can I run a business in Nigeria without CAC registration?
Legally, businesses earning over ₦25m/year MUST be registered. Beyond legality: without CAC you cannot collect proper invoices, accept B2B payments, open corporate accounts, win contracts, get loans, or be taken seriously. It costs ₦20,000 — there is no good reason not to.
Just Got Your CAC Certificate? Let’s Get You Online This Month.
We handle the whole Part 2 for Nigerian startups — domain, hosting, 5-page website, Google Business Profile, Paystack and WhatsApp — for a flat fee. You focus on selling.