Searching your chosen name before you apply costs nothing at all. Paying to reserve a name that CAC then refuses does cost something real. Here is exactly how to check properly first.
Why you search before you apply
CAC will not register a business name that is identical, or too close, to one already on its register. A search shows you this before you pay a reservation fee.
Skipping this step is an easily avoidable cause of a wasted fee among new applicants. Five minutes of searching costs nothing. A rejected reservation costs a fresh fee and a fresh wait.
Treat the search as the true first step of registration, before you tell suppliers, print a sign, or design a logo around a name that might not clear.
Where CAC's public search sits
Search a proposed name on the CAC public search on icrp.cac.gov.ng. This is the very same tool a bank or a client can use later to confirm a business name is genuinely registered and active.
Bookmark it if you expect to register more than one name over time, for yourself or for clients. An accountant or a company secretary who registers business names regularly typically checks this tool before every single application, not only the first one.
What to type and what the results mean
Type the exact name first, then try close variations: with and without common words like "Nigeria," "global" or "ventures" attached, and with any obvious alternative spelling.
A result showing an existing registration means that exact name, or one close to it, is taken. No result is a good sign, but this article cannot confirm that CAC will always approve the reservation that follows.
Reserving the name once it is clear
Once your search comes back clear, reserve the name for ₦1,000. Do this promptly, since a search does not hold the name for you. Another applicant could reserve it first.
See how to register a business name at CAC for what comes after reservation, from the application itself through to your certificate. That guide also lists the proprietor details you will need on hand.
How long the reservation then holds
Once approved, the reservation holds for up to 60 days. Use that window to finish gathering the rest of your documents.
If the window lapses before you register, you pay the reservation fee again, for the same name or a different one. See documents needed to register a business name for what to have ready before that window even starts ticking.
Browse the CAC registration hub for the rest of what registering a business name involves, or our cost guide to registering a company if you are also weighing a limited company.