The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has unveiled a new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven registration portal aimed at transforming Nigeria’s business environment by simplifying company registration processes and accelerating approvals.
According to a statement by the commission, the Registrar-General/CEO of CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, disclosed this during the Commission’s 2025 Stakeholders Forum held in Port Harcourt.
“The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced the take-off of a pilot new Artificial Intelligence (AI)- powered registration portal.
A major game changer for doing business in Nigeria is part of CAC’s transformative initiatives signaling a complete overhaul of the Company Registration Portal (CRP),” the statement read.
Instant name reservations, intelligent approvals
According to the Registrar-General, the newly introduced AI-powered portal represents a complete overhaul of the Commission’s existing Company Registration Portal (CRP).
The portal has been programmed to provide instant name approvals, with a system intelligently designed to suggest alternative names when preferred options are unavailable.
Magaji said name reservation under the new system is now as simple as opening an email account, noting that the use of AI enables seamless suggestions and approvals in real-time.
He explained that business owners can now begin registration using only the National Identification Number (NIN) of a director or proprietor. Upon successful verification of the NIN, the system is expected to generate and deliver the certificate of registration to the applicant’s email in less than 30 minutes.
“CAC’s target time for business registration was now under 30 minutes to generate a certificate and deliver to the customer’s email, subject to real-time NIN verification,” he said
AI tackles NIN verification delays
The Commission acknowledged that occasional delays could still occur due to external validation processes, particularly with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). However, Magaji noted that a contingency solution had been developed using AI-powered photo ID matching technology to overcome such obstacles.
He emphasized that the introduction of AI in the registration process is a game-changer for doing business in Nigeria, enabling CAC to meet its goal of delivering faster, smarter, and more reliable services.
More digital services on the way
In addition to the AI-powered portal, the CAC also announced a series of upcoming innovations. Among them is the implementation of Two-Factor Authentication and OTP verification for all transactions.
The system will ensure that no changes can be made to any company’s records without the full consent and awareness of registered directors.
Magaji further disclosed that a CAC Mobile App is expected to be launched in the last quarter of 2025. The app will allow users to carry out seamless transactions, track applications, and access company data from their mobile devices.
More insights
As part of its ongoing reform and quality assurance process, the Commission also announced a review of certain service fees. Magaji stated that the revised fees would take effect from August 1, 2025, citing the need to maintain high service delivery standards and support the Commission’s growing technological investments.
The event also featured goodwill messages from key industry figures, including the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (Port Harcourt branch), Cordelia U. Eke; Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSAN), Sir Sebastian Essien; and the Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Elder Dogala Sakpege.
Other speakers at the event included the Director of Industry, Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Mechi Brown, and Miema Akpa, who represented the Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (Port Harcourt branch).
This is a landmark achievement by CAC. To register my business on line with this new innovation, kindly provide me with the guidelines/requirements and the sites to do my online registration. Kudos to CAC.