CAC Business Name Registration for General Trading in Katsina State

Trading is about turnover: stock goes in, customers come, cash comes back, and the cycle repeats. A registered business name fits into that cycle at exactly the point where growth starts, when a supplier wants to open an account, a bank wants documents, or a larger buyer asks who they are dealing with. We at Onelove Business Ventures are an accredited CAC agent, and we handle the whole registration for traders, wholesalers and general merchandise businesses anywhere in Katsina State.

General Trading and Wholesale Businesses We Register

• Provision stores and supermarkets — retailers selling groceries, toiletries and household essentials
• General merchandise wholesale — businesses buying in bulk and supplying shops and market traders
• Foodstuff and grain trading — traders dealing in beans, grains, cereals and other staples
• Cross-border and import-export trading — businesses moving goods to and from neighbouring markets
• Household and kitchen goods — shops selling utensils, bedding, storage and home items
• Clothing, footwear and textile retail — outlets selling ready-made wear, fabrics and shoes
• Distribution and commission agents — businesses representing suppliers or selling on commission
• Online and social-media sellers — traders selling through WhatsApp, Instagram and online marketplaces

Katsina’s Markets Face Niger — and Cross-Border Trade Shapes Local Commerce

Katsina State shares an international border with the Republic of Niger, and its commerce reflects that. The Katsina Investment Promotion Agency lists the Katsina-Dubai International Market, the Katsina Central Market, the markets at Mai’Adua and Jibia (both described as international) and the market at Charanchi among the state’s prominent markets. Mai’Adua’s large market runs on Sundays and works as an exchange point between Nigeria and Niger: livestock comes mainly from Niger, while grains such as maize, sorghum, millet and soybeans flow mainly from Nigeria. Jibia’s main market day is also Sunday, and traders from both sides of the border meet there to exchange goods.

That cross-border link has real consequences for traders. After Nigeria closed its borders in 2023, traders in Jibia and Mai’Adua reported scarcity and sharp price rises, showing how quickly local markets respond to events at the border. For anyone in general trading in Katsina, the lesson is that the formal side of trade, including invoices, permits and customs documents, is part of doing business when goods cross a border. A registered business name is the starting point for most of that paperwork.

We register Business Names for general trading, merchandise and wholesale businesses in Katsina State at ₦35,500 all-inclusive, covering the CAC government filing fee and our service fee together. It suits most independent traders, provision stores and small wholesalers, since it gives you a properly registered business without a company structure you may not need yet. (A Limited Liability Company is also available at ₦65,500 all-inclusive; the comparison below explains when that makes sense.)

All we need from you at the start is a business name, sent over WhatsApp.

📋 CAC Business Name Registration

💰 Cost: ₦35,500 (All-Inclusive) ⏱️ Turnaround Time: 5 – 7 Working Days ✅ What You Get: Official CAC Certificate + Certified Status Report + TIN 🚚 Delivery: Soft Copy Sent via WhatsApp (Print Hard Copy Locally)

START REGISTRATION NOW →

Business Name vs. Limited Liability Company Cost

For most general traders in Katsina, a Business Name is enough to buy, sell and supply under a recognised name. If you start importing or exporting at scale, supply other businesses in bulk, run several outlets or bring in partners, a company structure becomes worth considering because it keeps your personal assets separate from the business. You can start with a Business Name and convert later.

Here’s Exactly What You’re Paying For

• Business name availability search
• Business name reservation
• Completion and submission of your CAC Business Name application
• The CAC government filing and processing fee
• Your Certificate of Registration (soft copy)
• A Tax Identification Number (TIN)
• A CAC Status Report confirming your business is active on the public register

Looking at the Limited Liability Company instead? At ₦65,500 all-inclusive you get everything above, plus your Memorandum and Articles of Association (Memart) and personal liability protection.

Outside the Scope of This Registration

CAC registration gives your business a legal identity. Several things that matter in trading are handled separately:

• A printed copy of your certificate (provided as a soft copy for you to print locally)
• Customs documentation, duties and clearance for goods you import or export, including anything crossing the Niger border
• Exporter registration and any permits that apply to the products you export
• NAFDAC requirements for food, drug, cosmetic and similar products you sell
• SON product-standard requirements for goods that fall under Nigerian standards
• Your shop lease, market stall or storage space, arranged with the landlord or market association
• Local levies and market dues that apply to your location
• Distributor or dealer agreements with brands and manufacturers, which they set on their own terms
• Opening a business bank account, done with your bank once the certificate is ready
• Annual returns filing in later years — a small, separate step we can also handle

Before You Reach Out

You probably have most of this already:

1. Two proposed business names, ranked by preference
2. A valid ID — National ID (NIN), international passport or driver’s license
3. A passport photograph
4. Your business address in Katsina State, with the LGA
5. A phone number and an email address
6. A short description of the business — for example, “general merchandise and wholesale” or “foodstuff trading”
7. For a Limited Liability Company only: names, IDs and details of the directors and shareholders

You don’t need to prepare anything in advance. Send what you have on WhatsApp when it suits you, and we’ll match it to CAC’s requirements.

From Message to Certificate

1. Check availability of your proposed name on CAC’s public portal, which we do for you.
2. Reserve the name once it is confirmed available.
3. Complete the application with your business and Katsina address details.
4. Upload your ID and passport photograph — a phone photo is fine.
5. Pay ₦35,500 once, covering the whole package.
6. Receive your Certificate of Registration, TIN and Status Report, usually within 5–7 working days.

Send the details, pay once, and your certificate comes to you — that’s how short your side of this is.

General Traders Across All 34 Katsina LGAs

Pricing, requirements and turnaround are identical wherever in Katsina State you trade. We register businesses in every LGA, including:

• Katsina, Mai’Adua, Jibia and Charanchi — traders around the state capital and the markets named by the state’s investment agency
• Daura, Funtua and Malumfashi — merchants and wholesalers in the larger commercial towns
• Bakori, Batagarawa, Batsari, Baure, Bindawa, Dandume, Danja, Danmusa, Dutsi, Dutsin-Ma, Faskari, Ingawa, Kafur, Kaita, Kankara, Kankia, Kurfi, Kusada, Mani, Mashi, Matazu, Musawa, Rimi, Sabuwa, Safana, Sandamu and Zango — provision stores, market traders and wholesalers across the remaining LGAs

If your business is in any of Katsina’s 34 Local Government Areas, you’re covered.

Stock Moves Fast. A Registered Name Keeps Up With It.

A trader’s days are about timing: what to buy before prices move, how much to hold, who can be given goods on credit and who must pay upfront. Market days bring crowds, quiet days bring costs, and a bad supplier or a late customer can tie up money you needed elsewhere. Those who last in this trade are the ones with sharp judgment about all of it.

Registration doesn’t replace that judgment. What it adds is a recognised name behind the trading you already do: a basis for opening supplier accounts, for dealing with banks, and for being taken seriously by larger buyers. It is much easier to set up while things are calm than when a major deal is waiting on proof of registration.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does CAC registration cost for a general trading business in Katsina State? ₦35,500 all-inclusive for a Business Name, the same in every LGA. A Limited Liability Company is ₦65,500 all-inclusive.

What is included in the ₦35,500? The name search and reservation, the completed CAC filing, the government fee, your Certificate of Registration, a TIN and a CAC Status Report confirming your business as active.

Is a Business Name enough for a trading or wholesale business? For most provision stores, market traders and small wholesalers, yes. It gives you a legal trading name and is usually the only CAC registration you need to begin.

Should I register a Business Name or a Limited Liability Company? A Business Name suits most traders starting out. A company makes more sense as you import or export at scale, supply other businesses in bulk, or bring in partners.

When should I upgrade to a Limited Liability Company? Usually when volumes and exposure grow, when you take on partners or investors, or when larger buyers prefer to deal with a company.

Can I register under one name if I sell many different products? Yes. A single registration covers your business as a whole, and general trading lets you describe your nature of business broadly enough to include several product lines.

I sell from a market stall or a small shop. Can I still register? Yes. Small and large traders register the same way, and your address can be your shop, stall or storage place in Katsina State.

Can I register if I only sell online or through WhatsApp? Yes. You need a business address in Katsina State, which can be your home or storage location, and you register in the same way as a shop-based trader.

Do I need NAFDAC approval for the goods I sell? If you sell food, drugs, cosmetics or similar regulated products, NAFDAC requirements may apply. These are separate from CAC registration, so check them for your specific products.

Do I need SON approval to trade in goods? Product standards from SON may apply to some goods. They are separate from CAC registration, so look into the requirements for what you stock.

Does CAC registration allow me to import or export? No. Importing and exporting involve customs documentation, duties and, for some goods, exporter registration and permits that are separate from CAC.

I trade across the Niger border. Does this registration cover that? No. Cross-border trade has its own documentation and customs requirements. A CAC certificate establishes your business, and it’s commonly one of the documents asked for in that process.

Does registration make me an authorised distributor for a brand? No. Distributor and dealer arrangements are agreed directly with the brand or its distributor, which often asks for a CAC certificate as part of the process.

Will the certificate help me open supply accounts with manufacturers and wholesalers? Many suppliers want proof of registration before setting up a trade account, so a CAC certificate is often among the first things requested.

Can I open a business bank account with the certificate? Yes. A CAC certificate is one of the main documents banks ask for, alongside your ID and other details.

Is a TIN included, and why does it matter? Yes. A Tax Identification Number is part of the package. It identifies your business for tax purposes and is often asked for by banks and larger buyers.

Do you register businesses outside Katsina city? Yes. We register in all 34 LGAs at the same price and turnaround, including border towns such as Mai’Adua and Jibia.

What if my preferred business name is taken? Send a backup and we’ll check it right away. Having two or three options ready keeps things moving.

Can I convert my Business Name to a Limited Liability Company later? Yes. Many traders start with a Business Name and convert as they grow, and we can assist with the conversion.

How will I receive my certificate? As a soft copy on WhatsApp, which you can print at any local business centre.

Give the Trading You Already Do a Registered Name

Your stock, your suppliers and your regular customers are already in place. An official name on all of it takes one message and one payment.

Ready when you are. Send your business name on WhatsApp → and we’ll take it from there.