Ebonyi Govt offers free CAC registration for small businesses

Economy & Policy, News

ABAKALIKI, Nigeria (NPA) — The Ebonyi State Government has launched a programme to support small and medium-scale businesses in the state by providing free registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

The initiative is aimed at helping businesses operating informally to obtain legal recognition and gain access to opportunities such as finance, grants and other sector-specific funding provided by the state, Federal Government and international development partners.

The intervention is expected to strengthen the formal business structure in the state, improve access to funding and contribute to the growth of Ebonyi’s economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

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According to a flyer announcing the scheme, released on Sept. 4 by Leo Ekene Oketa, Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, the initiative is titled “Get Free CAC Registration: Taking Ebonyi Businesses from Informal to Formal.”

The programme is being implemented through the Ebonyi State Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (EBSMEDA).

The statement said the initiative was designed to give entrepreneurs a stronger foundation to operate, access opportunities and grow their businesses with greater confidence.

“Starting and growing a business is easier when the right support is available. That is why the Ebonyi State Government, through EBSMEDA, is once again providing FREE CAC registration for businesses in the State.

“Simply, this is formalising a business, giving entrepreneurs a stronger foundation to operate, access opportunities and grow with greater confidence.

“It is another practical intervention by the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to remove some of the barriers facing Ebonyi entrepreneurs and make it easier for small businesses to thrive,” the statement said.

The scheme is open to entrepreneurs and businesses seeking to register as a Limited Liability Company (LLC).

Applicants are required to provide a passport photograph, a valid means of identification such as NIN, international passport, driver’s licence or voter’s card, as well as a scanned signature.

Applicants must also provide their full name, date of birth, gender, phone number, residential address, Local Government Area and state of origin, email address, occupation and NIN.

For company registration, applicants are required to provide three proposed business names, business address and state, nature or description of the business and shareholding structure, where applicable.

The state government said the intervention reflected its commitment to removing barriers to entrepreneurship and creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

“A government that supports business is a government investing in the people,” the statement said.

It added that the initiative was being implemented under the People’s Charter of Needs of the Nwifuru administration.

Interested entrepreneurs have been directed to visit the Staff Development Centre, behind St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Abakaliki, for further enquiries.