TechHer held its first Legal Clinic at Yabans Restaurant Wuse 2 on 17thMarch 2016 with over 15 women and men in attendance.The event sought to unbundle business registration and taxation in Nigeria, sourcing and receiving start-up funding, with an open session for questions. The event was supported and live streamed on radio by Amplified Radio.
The opening session featured introduction of women, and business registration procedures. Miss Nana Nwachukwu urged start-up companies to register their business as business names and not as Limited Liability Company or NGO’swith Corporate Affairs Commission. She gave reasons for that, and explained exceptions too.
Miss Bukola, another volunteer lawyer in the room led the session on taxes and remittances, admonishing business owners to avoid penalties by ensuring their books were in order. She enlightened attendees on the two types of business registrations; business name and limited liability company registrations.
Also, attendees were intimated on a potential grant and benefits for the Association of Poultry Farmers in Abuja and the need for people working in the space to join the body.
Participants asked questions around trademarking, copyrights, and funding management. Fatima Bashir, one of the attendees asked which registration should come first for her new cosmetics business; Corporate Affairs Commission or Trademark body. It opened up a new discussion around trademarks, and how they “protect brand names, logo and other designs that identify your products to your customer.”Instances where either form of registration came first were given, with attendees told to strive to achieve both before commencing operations.
Andy Madaki, a cyber and info security analyst anchored the last session, with a talk on funding a business. Mr Andy advised attendees to raise money from their immediate environment (family), social media channels, international agencies in line with their pattern of business, grants, and scholarships from embassies.MrAndy shared several funding opportunities available to Nigerians by several foreign bodies.
The programme ended with closing remarks from Nana Nwachukwu and a networking session. Attendees left with branded gift items from TechHer.