The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has launched an Artificial Intelligence-powered Companies Registration Portal, ushering in a new era where business registration in Nigeria can be completed in under 10 minutes. The innovation represents a major leap for entrepreneurs and small business owners who have long faced bureaucratic delays in formalizing their ventures.
Announcing the development during the Commission’s 2025 Management Retreat in Kaduna, the Registrar-General described the initiative as a transformative milestone in Nigeria’s corporate registry operations. The new platform enables users to reserve company names, complete registration, and instantly receive digital certificates — all seamlessly executed without human intervention.
He explained that the transition follows years of persistent technical failures, including frequent system crashes and data inconsistencies, likening the overhaul process to “changing a damaged engine mid-air,” a reflection of the Commission’s commitment to reform.
With this AI deployment, the CAC intends to further automate customer service and compliance monitoring. Upcoming tools will be able to analyze emails, interpret client requests, and automatically redirect them to the appropriate departments within minutes. The ultimate objective is to eliminate human-related delays and external interference in application processing.
The Commission noted that it drew inspiration from the United Kingdom’s Companies House, adopting comparable AI-driven frameworks designed to enhance transparency, accuracy, and efficiency. The Registrar-General stressed that artificial intelligence will not replace human decision-making but will complement it — taking over repetitive administrative tasks while employees focus on high-level, complex cases.
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To ensure smooth integration, the CAC has introduced new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to synchronize staff responsibilities with AI-assisted workflows, reinforcing accountability and departmental synergy. These changes align with the Commission’s broader agenda of institutional strengthening, employee welfare, and revenue optimization.
For micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), this reform promises to drastically reduce entry barriers. Quicker certification will allow entrepreneurs to access loans, government programs, and legal protections without prolonged waiting periods or reliance on middlemen.
He also charged CAC staff to maintain integrity and professionalism during the system’s implementation, emphasizing that while AI can flag irregularities, ethical human oversight remains critical to ensuring justice and fairness.
“As we transition from a digital registry to an intelligent one, our responsibility is to sustain these gains and build an institution that future generations will celebrate,” he affirmed.
