CAC Business Name Registration for Restaurant in Lagos State

Lagos eats out, orders in and caters for everything: weekday lunch rushes, office canteens, owambe weekends, school contracts, late-night suya runs and Sunday family tables. If your living comes from a kitchen, whether it is a restaurant, a buka, a catering outfit or a delivery-only brand, a registered business name is one of the first documents the rest of your paperwork will lean on. Onelove Business Ventures is a CAC-accredited agency, and we register restaurants and catering businesses anywhere in Lagos State. One WhatsApp message with your business name is all it takes — we manage the rest.

Restaurant and Catering Businesses We Register in Lagos

Restaurants and eateries: sit-down restaurants, buka and mama-put spots, and local kitchens with regular customers.
Fast-food and quick-service outlets: counters, drive-through style shops and takeaway kitchens.
Event and party caterers: weddings, birthdays, naming ceremonies and funeral receptions.
Corporate and institutional caterers: staff canteens, school meals and office lunch contracts.
Cloud kitchens and delivery-only brands: kitchens that sell through phone orders, social media or delivery apps.
Small chops, pastry and snack makers: producers supplying parties, shops and offices.
Meal-prep businesses and home chefs: weekly meal plans and made-to-order dishes delivered to customers.
Street food and mobile vendors: carts, trucks and stalls selling prepared food.

📋 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)

📋 CAC Business Name Registration

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

START REGISTRATION
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START REGISTRATION NOW →

Who Inspects a Lagos Kitchen, and Why Registration Comes First

Food businesses in Lagos answer to the Lagos State Ministry of Health. Its Directorate of Environmental/Occupational Health and Safety describes its role as inspecting and registering food premises and hospitality establishments, running public health surveillance on them, and arranging twice-yearly medical examinations for food handlers, who are issued a medical certificate of fitness. The Ministry also offers HACCP certification, issued after a review of a food safety plan and an audit of the premises. Guides to opening a restaurant in Lagos also point to a food permit from the local government, and commonly list proof of business registration among the supporting documents.

CAC registration does not replace any of those steps, and the exact requirements and fees can change, so confirm them with the Ministry and your local government before opening. What registration does is give your kitchen a legal name to apply under, to print on receipts and to sign supplier and catering contracts with. For most food businesses the order is simple: register the name first, then work through the health, permit and safety approvals for your premises.

Documents to Have Ready

Two business names, your first and second choice
A valid ID: National ID (NIN), international passport or driver’s license
A passport photograph
Your Lagos State business address, including the LGA
A phone number and an email address
A plain-English description of your food business, such as “restaurant and catering services” or “event catering and food delivery”
For a Limited Liability Company only: the names, ID and details of each director and shareholder

The Registration Timeline

Name search: we check CAC’s public portal for your name.
Reservation: we hold the name once it clears.
Application: we complete the CAC forms with your business and address details.
Documents: you send your ID and passport photograph, and a phone photo is enough.
Payment: you pay ₦35,500 once, covering everything in the next section.
Delivery: your Certificate of Registration, TIN and Status Report reach you within 5–7 working days.

From your side, that’s the entire process: one message, one payment, one certificate.

What Your ₦35,500 Covers

This is one payment for your restaurant or catering business. CAC’s government fee and our service fee are both included, and no extra charges follow. If you would sooner begin as a company, the Limited Liability Company is ₦65,500, all-inclusive.

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

Business Name or Limited Liability Company?

	Business Name	Limited Liability Company
All-inclusive cost	₦35,500	₦65,500
Personal liability protection	No	Yes
Documents received	Certificate + Status Report + TIN	Certificate + Status Report + Memart + TIN
Best for	Small restaurants, bukas, canteens, home caterers and food vendors	Multi-outlet brands, large restaurants, corporate caterers, and teams with partners or investors

An owner-run restaurant, canteen or home kitchen can usually start comfortably on a Business Name. It covers receipts, supplier accounts, a bank or POS account and the name on your signboard. A Limited Liability Company becomes more sensible when you open several outlets, take large corporate or institutional contracts, or bring in partners, because the company then holds the liabilities, not you personally. Starting with a Business Name and upgrading later is a very common path.

What Falls Outside This Registration

Printed certificates: your certificate arrives digitally, and printing is up to you.
Lagos State Ministry of Health food premises registration and inspection, along with any HACCP certification you choose to pursue.
Medical certificates of fitness for food handlers, which cover you and your kitchen and service staff.
A food permit from your local government, which is generally sought before you start trading.
NAFDAC approvals where applicable, for example if you produce packaged food for sale rather than only serving meals on site.
Fire-safety, building and environmental approvals for your kitchen, including waste and sanitation arrangements.
A liquor licence under Lagos State’s liquor licensing law, if you serve alcohol.
Signage permits from the state’s signage authority for signboards and outdoor branding.
Tax matters beyond the TIN, including any VAT that applies to your sales.
Opening a bank or POS account, done with your chosen bank after your certificate arrives.
Annual returns in future years, a short separate filing we can handle for you.

Between the Dawn Market Run and the Last Plate

A kitchen day starts before customers are awake. There is the market run for fresh stock, the prep, the gas and power worries, the lunch rush that arrives all at once, the late order that changes the plan and the clean-down after closing. For caterers, add tasting sessions, rented equipment, a client who doubles the guest list and a van that must leave by six in the morning. None of that leaves much room for sitting at a government portal. Registration is one job you can hand over whole, and when it’s done your kitchen has a registered name on its receipts, invoices and catering quotes.

Registering Restaurants and Caterers Across Lagos State

Price and timeline stay the same wherever your kitchen is. These are the areas where we register food businesses.

Business and waterfront areas

Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lagos Island: restaurants, lunch spots and caterers serving offices and hotels
Lekki, Ajah and Eti-Osa: restaurants, cloud kitchens and home caterers across the peninsula
Ibeju-Lekki and Epe: eateries and caterers serving growing communities toward the coast
Apapa and Amuwo-Odofin: canteens and restaurants around the port and Festac side

Mainland neighbourhoods

Ikeja, Maryland, Ojodu and Magodo: restaurants and caterers near offices, the airport road and residential streets
Yaba, Surulere, Shomolu and Lagos Mainland: eateries, canteens and event caterers
Mushin, Oshodi-Isolo, Agege and Ifako-Ijaye: bukas, fast-food shops and busy roadside kitchens
Kosofe, Ketu and Ebute-Metta: restaurants and vendors serving traders and commuters

West and the outer towns

Ojo, Alimosho, Ikotun and Egbe: restaurants, bukas and caterers serving the large western population
Ikorodu and Badagry: eateries, caterers and vendors in the outer towns

Wherever you cook in Lagos State, we can register you.

Is This Right for Your Business?

Different business owners want different things from an agent — this is who we serve best:

You’re at the stove through the lunch rush, at the market at dawn or packing trays for a catering job — you can’t spare an hour for CAC’s portal in the middle of service.
You’re growing from one canteen or small kitchen toward a second outlet, event catering contracts, office and school supply, or a delivery brand — and want a registered name behind that growth.
You’d like the cheaper option when it’s enough — we’ll say so plainly rather than steer you toward a Limited Liability Company you don’t need yet.
You’d rather not chase anyone — one message starts it, and the price you’re quoted is the price you pay.

If that’s the kind of service you want, message us and we’ll begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to register a restaurant or catering business in Lagos? A Business Name is ₦35,500, all-inclusive, for any location in Lagos State. A Limited Liability Company is ₦65,500, also all-inclusive.

What is included in that price? The name search and reservation, the filing of your CAC application, CAC’s government fee, a soft copy of your Certificate of Registration, a TIN and a CAC Status Report.

Is a Business Name enough for a restaurant or catering business? For most owner-run kitchens, yes. It gives you a registered name for receipts, supplier accounts, banking and signage. Larger operations may prefer a company.

Do I need CAC registration before I apply for a food permit? Guides to opening a restaurant in Lagos commonly list proof of business registration among the documents asked for. Requirements vary, so check with your local government and the Ministry of Health.

Does CAC registration replace Ministry of Health registration or inspection? No. The Lagos State Ministry of Health registers and inspects food premises separately, and CAC registration doesn’t substitute for that.

Does this cover my staff’s food handler medical certificates? No. Food handlers need their own medical examination and certificate of fitness, which you arrange through the health authorities. That sits outside CAC registration.

Do I need NAFDAC approval to run a restaurant? NAFDAC rules are mainly relevant if you produce packaged food for sale. If you only cook and serve meals, local health rules are likely to matter more. Ask NAFDAC and the Ministry about your own set-up.

Can I register a restaurant and a catering service under one name? Yes. Describe the business broadly, such as “restaurant, catering and food delivery services”. Individual services may carry their own approvals.

I run a cloud kitchen with no dining room. Can I register? Yes. A delivery-only kitchen registers like any other food business. You still need an address in Lagos State for the application.

I cook from home. Which address should I use? Use the Lagos State address where the business operates, with its LGA. If you’d prefer another address on record, tell us and we’ll advise.

What address do I give for a food truck, cart or market stall? Give us the Lagos State location where the business is based or operates most, with its LGA. We’ll advise on how to present it.

I haven’t rented a space yet. Can I still register? You need an address in Lagos State for the application. If your premises aren’t settled, send the address you plan to use.

Does a CAC certificate allow me to sell alcohol? No. Selling alcohol in Lagos needs a separate liquor licence from the state, and CAC registration does not provide it.

Can I register to supply canteens, schools or offices? Yes. Include contract catering or canteen services in your business description. The contracts themselves depend on the buyer’s own requirements.

Does the price change in different parts of Lagos? No. The ₦35,500 and the 5–7 working day timeline apply across the whole state.

How long does registration take? Usually 5–7 working days, with your certificate sent as a soft copy on WhatsApp.

Will the certificate help me win corporate catering or delivery-platform business? Corporate clients and booking or delivery platforms often ask for proof of registration, so the certificate can help. It does not guarantee any contract or listing.

Can I open a bank or POS account with the certificate? Banks commonly ask for a CAC certificate when opening a business account, along with your ID and their own forms. Requirements differ by bank.

Is the TIN included? Yes. A Tax Identification Number is part of what you receive for the ₦35,500.

Are there CAC filings after the first year? Registered businesses have annual returns to file. They are not part of this price, but we can help when they fall due.

What if my kitchen’s name is already taken? Send a backup name and we’ll check it straight away. Having two or three options ready keeps things moving.

Can I use words like “Kitchen”, “Foods” or “Catering” in my name? Usually, yes. They are common descriptive words. We check each name for availability, and CAC can reject names too close to existing ones.

Can I upgrade from a Business Name to a Limited Liability Company later? Yes. Many food businesses start with a Business Name and convert when they add outlets, partners or large contracts. We can help with the conversion.

When should I start as a Limited Liability Company instead? If you’re opening several outlets, chasing large institutional contracts, sharing ownership or bringing in investors, the company route is worth considering from the start.