Nairobi News

We are in the era of ‘hustler nation.’ At least, this is what President William Ruto claims, considering this is one of the platforms he campaigned on and won.

A hustler is a person who does any kind of business to earn an income to sustain his or her life- and on the ground, this is often referred to people in the informal jobs sector.

So, hustler tawala? You probably live by this mantra, but if you didn’t and want to join the hustler nation, then you are already gathering as much finances to open a self-employment business.

Maybe a clothes boutique? A grocery shop? A laundromat? Maybe a general shop? That would be a great achievement for you. An escape from the 9-5 job matrix.

But, before you open your hustle, in addition to researching about all the licenses you will need, did you stop and think about your business name?

Yes, it is unique to you but as they say, nothing under the sun is new. Someone else may have already come up with the same name and registered it with the government.

So, how do you check if your chosen business name can be yours before you begin applying for permits?

Also read: How city man swindled a hawker of Sh25,000 in Hustler Fund loan scam

Nairobi News guides you on the processes you need to undertake to secure your business below:

1. Log in to your eCitizen account
2. Scroll down to the Business Registration Services, a tab where a person can navigate business registration services easily and efficiently.
3. Click the Business Registration Services tab and inside, you will find two options, My Businesses and My Applications.
4. Scroll down to the My Applications options and click ‘Make Application’.
5. In the ‘Make Application’ table, you will find the following options among others: Business Name Registration, Private Limited Company, Public Limited Company, Company Limited by Guarantee, Limited Liability Partnership, Foreign Company and Collateral Registry- Initial Registration.
6. Scroll down and you will come to the search options: Official Search (Cr12), Official Search (Cr13) and Official Search (Llp Search).
7. Cr12 will cost you Sh 650 to search for a business name of registration number. Only verified companies will generate an automated official search. This service is not available to applicants who are a director, shareholder or company secretary of the company they are searching.
8. Cr13 will cost you Sh 250. This search service is not available to a customer who is the owner of the business name.
9. Once the search is completed, an auto generated official search document will be provided directly to the applicant.
10. If the business name is not taken, an applicant can reserve it but only have access to it for 30 days until they register their business or lose it altogether.
11. To now register your business if you successfully get a business name, scroll back to the ‘Business Name Registration’ option and apply. The Kenyan government states that the business name is not a legal entity, it simply refers to a person who owns the business and is personally responsible for its debts. The name will allow the person to conduct a business.
12. A customer must propose 3 business names. The first available name will be automatically assigned to the business/company.
13. The applicant will then provide all their details in the next section.
14. The applicant will then provide details on the nature of business, its registered addresses including location, building or plot number, contacts; and also provide ownership information including the proprietor’s ID number, Kenya Revenue Authority PIN number and recent passport photo.
15. The applicant will then proceed to pay for the business registration fee and await confirmation of business registration.

Also read: Hustler Fund scam: How duo conned public in fake loans scheme