CAC processes 10,000 daily registrations after AI rollout
Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has entered a new phase of digital governance, announcing that it now processes nearly 10,000 business registration applications every day following the full deployment of artificial intelligence across its platforms.
The milestone represents one of the most significant transformations in the country’s business regulatory history and highlights the growing role of technology in economic formalisation.
The disclosure was made in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the commission’s 35th anniversary celebration, where the Registrar-General, Hussaini Magaji, described the achievement as a defining moment for Nigeria’s ease-of-doing-business agenda.
According to him, the current registration volume marks a dramatic jump from the “few hundreds” handled daily when the commission was first established.
While the AI transition has accelerated operations and improved turnaround times, Magaji acknowledged that the journey was not without challenges, particularly during the early stages of implementation in 2025.
From a single office to a digital registry
Established in 1991 under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) of 1990, the CAC was created to replace the old Company Registry, which was widely criticised for inefficiency and bureaucratic delays. At inception, the commission operated from a single office in Garki, Abuja, serving entrepreneurs and organisations from across the country.
In those early years, business owners were required to travel long distances to submit documents, while registration processes were entirely manual and dependent on paper records.
According to Magaji, service delivery was constrained by geography, time, and limited human capacity.
Today, that reality has changed completely. The CAC now operates as a fully digital, end-to-end corporate registry, accessible 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world.
The commission’s transformation has been further strengthened by reforms introduced under CAMA 2020, which modernised Nigeria’s corporate regulatory framework and enabled technology-driven processes.
AI as a catalyst for growth
At the centre of the commission’s recent leap in productivity is artificial intelligence. Magaji explained that the CAC’s ability to process 10,000 daily registrations would be impossible without AI systems that complement human capacity with speed, accuracy, and consistency.
Beyond registrations, the commission’s complaint management system now handles an average of 5,000 customer inquiries daily through emails and call centres. These volumes, he noted, underscore the necessity of automation in managing Nigeria’s rapidly expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The growth in registration numbers has also been driven by broader economic trends. Government tax reforms, policies encouraging the formalisation of informal businesses, and the rise of digital and social media-based enterprises have contributed to increased demand for CAC services.
Challenges during the transition
Despite the progress, the Registrar-General admitted that the shift to an AI-driven portal came with disruptions. The year 2025, in particular, proved difficult as the commission adjusted its systems and workflows to accommodate the new technology.
According to Magaji, temporary setbacks in productivity and service delivery were unavoidable during the transition. However, he expressed appreciation to stakeholders and users for their patience, stressing that transformational change often involves short-term discomfort before long-term gains.
He maintained that the AI rollout was not optional but inevitable, positioning the CAC as a regional and global reference point in name reservation and business name registration, with turnaround times now as short as 10 minutes in some cases.
Strategic partnerships and new tools
As part of efforts to deepen its digital transformation, the CAC has entered into a strategic collaboration with Google, aimed at strengthening portal performance and enhancing user experience.
Magaji said the partnership would provide access to global expertise and advanced technological support, further improving service delivery.
The commission also unveiled a redesigned website featuring new AI-powered tools. These include an AI Lawyer, designed to provide instant responses to questions on CAC laws and procedures, and an AI Name Generator, which allows entrepreneurs to generate and reserve scalable business names seamlessly.
These innovations are expected to reduce errors, shorten processing times, and improve transparency, reinforcing public trust in the commission’s operations.
Anniversary initiatives and social impact
To mark its 35th anniversary, the CAC announced a series of initiatives aimed at supporting small businesses, legal education, and social welfare. Among them is free business name registration for 3,500 small enterprises across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The commission also approved scholarships for the six best corporate law students from each campus of the Nigerian Law School in 2026, alongside donations to internally displaced persons’ camps and orphanages.
Internally, staff welfare received a boost with the approval of a 25 per cent commemorative bonus, special car and housing loan schemes, and recommended promotions for pioneer and retiring officers.
Legislative and institutional backing
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, Ahmed Munir, commended the CAC’s digital reforms, noting that they have simplified business registration and empowered millions of entrepreneurs to transition from the informal to the formal economy.
He urged continued collaboration among stakeholders to ensure regulatory processes do not hinder innovation but instead support Nigeria’s ambition to become a leading business hub in West Africa.
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, pledged technical support for the commission’s AI reforms, emphasising the importance of ethical and responsible AI deployment in public institutions.
As Nigeria seeks to expand its tax base, attract investment, and strengthen its structured economy, the CAC’s transformation stands out as a critical pillar of reform.
By leveraging artificial intelligence and strategic partnerships, the commission is redefining how businesses are registered and regulated, setting new benchmarks for efficiency and transparency.
With daily registrations now in the tens of thousands, the CAC’s evolution reflects not just institutional growth, but a broader shift toward a digitally driven Nigerian economy.
