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The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has unveiled a pilot Artificial Intelligence-powered registration platform, aiming to revolutionize the company registration process in Nigeria. The move is part of the Commission’s broader strategy to enhance efficiency and improve the ease of doing business nationwide.
Speaking at the 2025 Stakeholders’ Forum, the Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, described the AI-powered system as a “game-changer” capable of drastically reducing registration timelines. A statement released by the Commission on Tuesday highlighted that the new platform is designed to simplify and accelerate business registration processes.
According to Magaji, the portal will facilitate instant name reservation approvals using intelligent algorithms that suggest available alternatives and grant real-time confirmations—similar to the ease of creating an email account.
One of the portal’s key innovations is its ability to register businesses using only the National Identification Number (NIN) of a director or proprietor. Once the NIN is verified in real-time, the system will generate a certificate of incorporation and send it to the applicant’s email within 30 minutes.
“Our target is to complete business registrations under 30 minutes, provided NIN verification is successful,” Magaji said.He acknowledged potential delays due to third-party validations by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) but added that a built-in AI-powered photo ID matching feature would serve as a backup to minimize disruptions.
To further enhance security and accountability, CAC plans to implement two-factor authentication and OTP verification for all transactions, ensuring that no changes to company records can be made without the registered directors’ consent.
Additionally, Magaji announced that a dedicated CAC mobile application will launch in Q4 2025. The app will allow users to manage and track business registration transactions in real time from their mobile devices.
The Commission is also reviewing over 100 partnership proposals from local and international super agents, including the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), aimed at expanding access to its services and simplifying user experience.
As part of its reform measures, the CAC will begin reviewing its service fees starting August 1, 2025, a move Magaji said is necessary to sustain service delivery standards.
The forum featured goodwill messages from industry leaders, including:
- Cordelia U. Eke, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (Port Harcourt branch)
- Sir Sebastian Essien, Chairman, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
- Elder Dogala Sakpege, Chairman, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises
Representatives from the Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria were also in attendance. A CAC technical team was on ground to resolve customer issues and provide real-time assistance.
This AI-powered upgrade marks a significant step in CAC’s digital transformation journey, aligning with Nigeria’s broader economic objectives of fostering entrepreneurship and reducing bureaucratic barriers to business registration.