Nigerians abroad ask this often: can you register a business name at home without flying back. Part of the answer is simple. Part of it this article cannot confirm.
What the online process asks of you
CAC's business name registration runs through new Company Registration Portal (CRP). The form does not ask where you are sitting when you fill it in.
You still need a residential address, a business address and identification for each proprietor. None of that changes because you are applying from Lagos or from London.
This article cannot confirm whether CAC accepts a residential address abroad for the proprietor's own details. The business address on the application still needs to be where the business actually operates inside Nigeria.
See how to register a business name at CAC for the full list of what the application needs, step by step.
The name reservation fee and how it is paid
Name reservation costs ₦1,000, wherever you apply from. Payment happens on the portal itself, the same way it does for an applicant inside Nigeria.
Once approved, the reservation holds for up to 60 days. Plan your paperwork around that window. Time zones and slower replies from home can eat into it faster than you expect.
The registration fee and how it is paid
Registration itself costs ₦20,000, plus the ₦500 AI service charge added from 1 April 2026. Neither figure changes based on where you are.
Pay by whatever method the portal accepts for an online applicant. This article cannot confirm which cards or transfer methods work best from outside Nigeria, so test a small payment first if you can.
What this article cannot confirm
Some steps around a business name may still expect a Nigerian address, a local signatory, or a visit once you are home, particularly for opening a bank account in the business's name.
This article cannot confirm every such requirement. Ask a lawyer or an accountant who handles diaspora clients regularly, rather than assume the online registration is the only step involved.
Internet access and time zones cause more practical trouble than the rules themselves. A slow connection partway through the form, or a session that times out overnight, can cost you a completed application you thought was nearly done.
Getting a BN number before you travel home
Once CAC approves the application, it issues a certificate and a BN number the same way it would for any other applicant. Nothing about that step waits for you to be physically in Nigeria.
See what is a BN number and where to find it for what that number is used for once you have it. Browse the CAC registration hub for the rest of what comes next, or our cost guide to registering a company if a limited company might suit a diaspora-run business better.