Register your design business
Step-by-step guides for designers in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Tax, VAT, registration, and payment platforms — all in one place.
Ghana
GHS (GH₵)
📋 How to register
Choose your business structure
Most solo designers register as a Sole Proprietorship or an Unlimited Liability Company. Sole prop is cheaper and simpler to start.
Register with the Registrar General's Department (RGD)
Visit bizgh.registrargeneral.gov.gh or walk into any RGD office. Business name registration costs about GH₵100–300 and takes 1–3 working days online.
https://bizgh.registrargeneral.gov.gh →Get a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
Register with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Free and required for opening a business bank account.
https://gra.gov.gh →Open a business bank account
Use your business registration certificate + TIN to open a dedicated bank account. Recommended: GCB, Stanbic, Fidelity, or Ecobank.
Register with SSNIT (optional)
Register with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust if you want to build a pension contribution record as a self-employed person.
🧾 VAT
If your annual revenue exceeds GH₵200,000, you must register for VAT and charge clients 15% VAT on invoices. Below this threshold it's optional (Flat Rate Scheme available at 3%).
💸 Income Tax
Pay income tax on your business profits. Tax rates are progressive: 0% up to GH₵4,380/year, then 5%–30% on higher brackets.
File your annual Self-Assessment return with GRA by March 31. Keep records of all invoices and expenses.
💳 Payment platforms
🔗 Official resources
💡 Pro tip
Register as a business even before you need to. It builds credibility with international clients who check if you're a legitimate business, and makes it easier to open a USD receiving account.
Nigeria
NGN (₦)
📋 How to register
Choose a business structure
Business Name (simplest, for solo designers) or a Private Limited Company (Ltd) for more credibility. Most freelancers start with Business Name registration.
Register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
Use the CAC portal at pre.cac.gov.ng. Business Name registration is ₦10,000–₦25,000 and takes 2–7 business days online.
https://pre.cac.gov.ng →Get a Tax Identification Number (TIN)
Register with FIRS (Federal Inland Revenue Service). Free. You'll also automatically get a TIN via CAC for new registrations.
https://www.firs.gov.ng →Open a business bank account
Required for serious clients. Use your CAC certificate and TIN. Recommended banks for freelancers: Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith, Access, or Kuda.
🧾 VAT
Nigeria's VAT rate is 7.5%. Once your annual turnover exceeds ₦25 million, VAT registration is mandatory. Below this threshold, charging VAT is optional but still possible.
💸 Income Tax
Self-employed income is taxed under Personal Income Tax. Rates are progressive starting from 7% to 24%. File a Self-Assessment Return annually.
Register with your State Internal Revenue Service (SIRS) — e.g., LIRS for Lagos-based designers. Deadline is typically March 31 each year.
💳 Payment platforms
🔗 Official resources
💡 Pro tip
Open a domiciliary (USD/EUR) account at a Nigerian bank — GTB, Access Bank, and Zenith all offer them. This makes receiving international payments far easier than relying solely on PayPal.
South Africa
ZAR (R)
📋 How to register
Register a company or sole prop
Sole proprietors don't technically need to register a business, but registering a Private Company (Pty Ltd) through CIPC gives you credibility and protection.
https://www.cipc.co.za →Register with CIPC
Register at cipc.co.za. Costs R125 for a private company. Processing takes 1–5 business days. You'll get a company registration number (CRN).
Register with SARS for income tax
Register at sars.gov.za for an income tax number. This is free and needed to file your annual tax return.
https://www.sars.gov.za →Open a business bank account
Required for professional invoicing. FNB Business Banking, Standard Bank Business, or Nedbank Business are popular choices.
🧾 VAT
You MUST register for VAT once your annual turnover exceeds R1 million. Below this threshold it's voluntary. VAT-registered businesses must charge 15% VAT on services and submit monthly/bi-monthly returns.
💸 Income Tax
Income up to R95,750/year is tax-free (2024/25 rebate). Above that, rates range from 18% to 45%. Register as a provisional taxpayer and pay in two instalments per year.
Submit your annual return to SARS by October 31 (non-provisional) or January 31 (provisional). Use eFiling at sars.gov.za.
💳 Payment platforms
🔗 Official resources
💡 Pro tip
South Africa's SMME Development Fund and SEDA offer small business support grants and mentorship for creative businesses. Search seda.org.za for programmes in your province.
Kenya
KES (KSh)
📋 How to register
Register via the eCitizen portal
All business registrations in Kenya are handled through ecitizen.go.ke. You can register a Business Name or a Private Limited Company online in under a day.
https://ecitizen.go.ke →Get a KRA PIN
Register at iTax (itax.kra.go.ke) for a Kenya Revenue Authority Personal Identification Number. Free and mandatory for tax filing and opening a business bank account.
https://itax.kra.go.ke →Register for a Single Business Permit
Obtain a Single Business Permit (SBP) from your county government. Required to legally operate. Cost varies by county — typically KSh 1,000–5,000/year.
Open a business bank account
Equity Bank, KCB, and Co-operative Bank are popular for small businesses. Safaricom's M-Pesa Business account is widely used for day-to-day transactions.
🧾 VAT
VAT registration is mandatory once you exceed KSh 5 million annually. The standard rate is 16%. Small businesses below this threshold are exempt.
💸 Income Tax
Individual rates range from 10% to 35% on income above KSh 288,000/year. File monthly income tax via iTax if self-employed (Instalment Tax).
All self-employed people must file an annual tax return via iTax by June 30. Keep all invoices and expenses records.
💳 Payment platforms
🔗 Official resources
💡 Pro tip
M-Pesa Paybill and Till numbers are essential for Kenyan designer businesses. Set up a Paybill so clients can pay directly from their phones — it's the most widely used payment method in Kenya.
Zimbabwe
USD / ZiG
📋 How to register
Register with COBE (Companies and Other Business Entities)
Register at zimstat.co.zw or in person at the Deeds Registry in Harare or Bulawayo. Private business corporations (PBC) are the simplest structure for freelancers.
https://www.zimstat.co.zw →Register with ZIMRA
Get a Business Partner Number (BPN) from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. Free. Required for paying taxes and submitting VAT returns.
https://www.zimra.co.zw →Open a business bank account
CBZ, Stanbic, FBC, and ZB Bank are options. Most Zimbabwean designers operate in USD — open a USD account where possible.
🧾 VAT
VAT registration threshold is USD 40,000/year. The standard rate is 15%. Zimbabwe's economy is largely USD-based — your invoices should ideally be in USD.
💸 Income Tax
ZIMRA taxes self-employed income. Progressive tax rates apply with a tax-free threshold. Quarterly Payments Dates (QPDs) are required — pay estimated tax every quarter.
File your annual return with ZIMRA by January 31 each year. Keep all invoices, contracts, and expense records.
💳 Payment platforms
🔗 Official resources
💡 Pro tip
Price all your work in USD to avoid currency risk. Zimbabwe's multi-currency economy means most professional services clients prefer USD invoices — and international clients expect it.
Now price your work professionally
Use the Pricing Calculator to set rates that reflect your registered business costs.
Open Pricing Calculator →This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Regulations change — always verify with official government sources or a qualified accountant in your country.