 has launched an AI-powered business registration platform, promising real-time approvals){kind=link}
In a major step to modernize Nigeria’s business environment, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has unveiled an AI-powered company registration portal designed to complete business registration within 30 minutes—ushering in what officials are calling “a new era of seamless digital incorporation.”
The groundbreaking announcement was made by CAC’s Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), during the 2025 Stakeholders’ Forum held in Port Harcourt. The AI-powered system is expected to revolutionize the company registration process, drastically reducing delays and eliminating the bureaucratic hurdles often associated with name reservations and incorporation documentation.
According to Magaji, the newly deployed AI system will allow businesses to register using just the National Identification Number (NIN) of directors or proprietors. Once the NIN is verified in real time, the system will automatically generate and deliver a Certificate of Incorporation to the applicant’s email within 30 minutes.
“We designed the platform to function like email registration,” Magaji explained. “It’s intelligent enough to suggest alternative business names and approve name reservations instantly.”
Even when technical issues arise—such as failed verification with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)—the platform is equipped with AI-enabled photo identification tools to mitigate such delays and keep the process moving.
To safeguard data integrity and ownership, the CAC is also introducing a two-factor authentication system using One-Time Passwords (OTPs) for all transactions. This, the Registrar-General said, ensures that no changes can be made to company records without the explicit consent of the directors.
“We are building not just speed, but security into the system,” Magaji stated.
In addition, the Commission is set to roll out a dedicated CAC mobile app by Q4 2025. The app will enable users to manage and track their company-related transactions from anywhere in the world.
The CAC also revealed that it is evaluating over 100 partnership requests from both local and international “super agents,” including the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), to expand access to the registration platform and integrate fintech innovations.
“We are opening our system to broader partnerships that will bring services closer to SMEs, artisans, and entrepreneurs across Nigeria,” Magaji said.
This digital overhaul forms part of Nigeria’s larger national strategy to improve the ease of doing business and stimulate entrepreneurship. With the launch of this system, the CAC aims to position Nigeria among the fastest jurisdictions globally for business registration.
Magaji also announced that CAC service fees would be reviewed starting August 1, 2025. The revision, he said, is necessary to maintain high service quality and fund ongoing reforms.
During the stakeholders’ forum, CAC’s technical team was on ground to assist users with complaints, resolve real-time issues, and gather feedback for continuous improvement.
Prominent stakeholders, including representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSAN), and the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), lauded the initiative, describing it as a “bold and necessary leap forward.”
Elder Dogala Sakpege, chairman of NASME, noted that “this innovation will remove long-standing barriers for small business owners who lack the time or expertise to navigate traditional bureaucracies.”
With Nigeria striving to increase its global competitiveness and attract more domestic and foreign investments, the CAC’s AI-powered portal may prove to be a critical game-changer. If implemented at scale and maintained efficiently, the system has the potential to formalize millions of informal businesses and boost the country’s economic growth.
Magaji concluded, “Our vision is to make business registration in Nigeria as simple as signing up for an email account. We’re not just transforming a system; we’re transforming the future of commerce in Nigeria.”