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New Digital Reforms Transform Business Registration in Nigeria
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to ending delays in business registration and service delivery through cutting-edge digital reforms.
RELATED: CAC’s AI-driven platform transforms business registration in Nigeria
Speaking at the CAC Stakeholders’ Forum in Kano, Registrar-General Mr. Hussaini Ishaq-Magaji, SAN, said the commission has deployed an AI-powered business registration portal designed to handle Nigeria’s growing demand for business compliance.
AI-Powered Portal Processes 11,000 Transactions Daily
The CAC’s new AI system, launched on June 30, 2025, now processes over 11,000 transactions daily. According to Ishaq-Magaji, the portal has reduced the time required for business name registration to less than 10 minutes, making Nigeria one of the fastest countries in the world for digital company registration.
“Anywhere you are, without knowing anyone in CAC or paying a middleman, you can register a business name and get your certificate instantly in less than 10 minutes. That is the new Nigeria we are building,” he said.
Tackling Backlogs and Service Delivery Challenges
Before the AI launch, CAC’s outdated system was unable to cope with rising demand, particularly after compliance directives such as the mandatory registration of PoS businesses and annual returns filing. The situation resulted in backlogs and customer frustration, with over 3,000 emails daily attended to by fewer than 100 staff.
While progress has been made, Ishaq-Magaji admitted that limited liability company and incorporated trustee registrations still face delays, with about 7,000 pending applications being managed by just 63 registry staff. He assured stakeholders that the next phase of reforms would address these challenges.
Stakeholders Commend CAC’s Reforms
At the forum, stakeholders including representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), EFCC, and ICPC applauded CAC’s digital reforms. Ahmed Abubakar, Chairman of the NBA Ungogo branch, described the achievement as “remarkable,” while Usman Umar-Fari, NBA Kano Chairman, urged the commission to further encourage companies to meet their corporate social responsibilities and create more opportunities for lawyers.
