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  If you’re steeped in Nigeria’s small business scene, you’ve almost certainly heard about SMEDAN. You probably know that it’s a government agency that’s active in the SME space and that businesses that register with it can reap special benefits as members. In this article, we’ll answer a question that’s often asked by small business owners: how do you get a SMEDAN registration certificate?
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There’s been some reform around SMEDAN’s engagement with the public. Once mostly accessible through in-person appointments and visits, the agency now has a strong online presence. If you’re going to register with SMEDAN and get your certificate, you can do all of that online. But first, let’s run through a couple of questions about SMEDAN, just in case you’re not that knowledgeable about who they are and what they do.

What is SMEDAN?

SMEDAN is the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria. It’s a government agency that exists to help small businesses in the country with the resources they need to grow and thrive. These resources include loans, grants, and training designed to build their capacities to succeed.

Benefits of Registering with SMEDAN

If you register with SMEDAN, you can reap the following benefits:
  • Apply for and receive loans from commercial banks, development finance institutions, and microfinance banks
  • Get grants from government and private institutions
  • Access government-supported training and capacity-building facilities
  • Be eligible to bid for government contracts
  • Gain access to government-backed incubators and accelerators
  • Evidence of their credibility and improve their reputation

How to Get Your SMEDAN Registration Certificate

Securing a SMEDAN Registration is the final step of the process of registering with the agency. If you haven’t registered with SMEDAN yet, here are the steps you can take to do so:
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Go to the SMEDAN Registration Portal

Visit the SMEDAN website. When you get to its home page, you will find a link labelled “SME Mass Registration”. Click it, and you will be redirected to the SMEDAN registration portal.

Fill out the Registration Form

On the home page of the registration portal, you will find a form on the top right side. Information requested on the form includes a business name, email address, phone number, and password (which you will create). Fill it, and then click the ‘Get Started’ button.

Submit Required Business Documents

Upon filling in the information requested (such as registered address, nature of business, staff strength, etc.), you will be required to upload copies of specific documents, such as business registration documents and proof of business ownership. You will need to submit these as PDFs.

Get Your SMEDAN Certificate

After completing your registration, you’ll have to wait for SMEDAN to confirm that you are duly registered. When they do, they will email you a digital copy of your SMEDAN registration certificate, which you may view and download. Note that the certificate will contain your business name and SMEDAN Unique Identification Number (UIN).
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Final Words

There’s a lot you can gain from registering with SMEDAN, as we’ve already pointed out. If you would like to access those benefits, you can register with the agency by taking the steps we’ve laid out in this article.
Got a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com
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This article was first published on 7th November 2023

ikenna-nwachukwu

Ikenna Nwachukwu holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He loves to look at the world through multiple lenses- economic, political, religious and philosophical- and to write about what he observes in a witty, yet reflective style.

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