Reserving a business name on CAC's new iCRP
How name reservation works on CAC's new iCRP portal, when you get the AV Code, and which names still need consent and a manual review.
By Achekam · · 4 min read · For Running a business businesses in Nigeria
Every Nigerian business registration starts with a name, and on the Corporate Affairs Commission's new portal, the iCRP, the name comes first in a very practical sense. Until it is reserved and you hold the code that proves it, the registration form will not let you go further.
The good news is that, for most names, reservation on the new iCRP is automated. The less good news is that some names still go to a human reviewer, and choosing one of those without realising it can hold up your plans. This guide covers the account you need, how the automated route works, which names need consent, what happens when an application is queried, and the first steps once the name is yours.
An iCRP account and two-factor sign-in first
CAC's iCRP home page says a user must have a registered account on the portal before registering or managing a business name or company. Reservation is part of that journey, so the account comes first.
CAC's FAQ adds a security step. On first login to the new iCRP, a user is prompted to enable two-factor authentication, with a verification code sent by e-mail. That makes the e-mail address on the account important: use one you control and will keep, not a shared or temporary address. If you lose access to the linked e-mail, CAC's FAQ says you can ask helpdesk@cac.gov.ng or ict@cac.gov.ng for an e-mail update, but it is far easier not to need to.
Automated reservation and the AV Code after payment
For an ordinary name, CAC's FAQ describes a short sequence. You select the business classification and type, enter the proposed name and the nature of the business, check availability and pay. CAC says reservation on the new iCRP is automated, with approval as soon as payment is successful. You then receive an AV Code, which is used to register the business.
Treat the AV Code as the key to the next stage. Write it down, save the confirmation e-mail and keep both with your registration papers. The registration form asks for it first, before the business address or the proprietor details; see registering a business name on CAC's iCRP for what follows.
The nature of business you enter at reservation deserves thought. Describe what the business will actually do, in plain terms, so that it fits the activity you will describe at registration.
Names needing consent and manual approval
Not every name takes the automated route. CAC's FAQ says reserving a name that requires consent, for example one with a restricted word, or for a change of name, is a separate process on the new iCRP. It is still reviewed manually by an Approving Officer after payment via Remita.
That has two consequences. First, the timing is no longer in your hands: the application waits for a person to review it. Second, you will need whatever consent the name requires before the officer can approve it. If your preferred name includes a word you suspect is restricted, either line up the consent early or choose a different name for the first application.
CAC's iCRP frequently asked questions explain the automated and manual routes, the AV Code and the two-factor sign-in, and are the page to check if the steps change.
What to do when an application is queried
CAC says the applicant receives an e-mail when an application that went through manual review is approved or queried. A query is not a refusal; it is a request to fix something.
When a query arrives:
- Read it carefully and note exactly what the officer has asked for.
- Gather the consent, document or correction it refers to.
- Respond through your iCRP account, not by e-mail to individual staff.
- Keep a copy of the query and your response with your records.
Watch the inbox linked to the account. A query that sits unread delays the reservation for no reason.
Choosing a name that will pass
The automated route works best for a name that is clearly available and needs no consent. Before you pay, run through a few checks of your own:
- Is the name distinctive, rather than a common word or the name of a well-known business?
- Does the availability check on the portal show it as free?
- Does it avoid words you suspect need consent, unless you have that consent ready?
- Does it suit the nature of business you will enter?
- Will it still fit if the business grows into related work?
A name that passes these checks gives itself the best chance of the automated path.
Setting up a Nigerian workspace once the name is yours
With the name reserved and the registration under way, think about the books. Starting them at the beginning saves rebuilding the first months later.
In Achekam, a business can sign up as a business, not as an accounting firm, choose its country and get its own workspace, its own books and its own web address on the Achekam domain. The person who signs up becomes the administrator, so it should be the owner or the person who will run the finances.
Choosing Nigeria at sign-up makes the Nigeria pack the workspace's default. On activation, the workspace takes the naira and the Africa/Lagos time zone, unless those were already set. The wider set-up choices are covered in setting up a business workspace.
Before you pay for the reservation, check the e-mail address on your iCRP account one last time. Everything that follows, from the AV Code to any query, arrives there.
General guidance only, not advice on your own circumstances. Tax and payroll rules change: check the current position with the authority or your adviser.
