CAC Unveils AI-Powered Business Registration Portal

By Iyojo Ameh

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has launched the pilot phase of its new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered business registration portal, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s drive for improved ease of doing business.

The announcement was made by the Registrar-General of CAC, Hussaini Magaji, during the Commission’s 2025 Stakeholders Forum held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Describing the initiative as a complete overhaul of the existing Company Registration Portal (CRP), Magaji said the AI-powered platform is designed to simplify and accelerate business registration processes, allowing entrepreneurs to complete registration in record time.

“This marks a major transformation in the way we deliver services. Our target is to complete business registration and certificate generation within 30 minutes, subject to real-time NIN validation,” Magaji said.

According to him, the upgraded portal now allows for instant name reservation approvals, comparing the ease of the process to creating an email account. The AI system can suggest alternative available business names and approve them immediately.

Another groundbreaking feature, Magaji noted, is the ability to register a business using only the National Identification Number (NIN) of a director or proprietor. While acknowledging possible delays due to external data confirmation from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), he assured that a backup system using AI-powered photo ID matching has been developed to address such bottlenecks.

In terms of collaboration, the registrar-general disclosed that the CAC is currently reviewing over 100 applications from potential Super Agents, including international interests. He identified the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) as one of the key strategic partners under consideration.

Magaji also revealed upcoming digital enhancements, such as Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and One-Time Password (OTP) verification for all transactions, aimed at bolstering security and preventing unauthorised changes to company records.

Additionally, he announced plans to launch a CAC Mobile App in the final quarter of 2025, which will allow users to initiate transactions and track progress from their mobile devices.

On service delivery, Magaji said the Commission will implement a review of certain service fees effective August 1, to support its ongoing digital transformation and ensure sustained quality in service delivery.

The event was attended by several key stakeholders, including Cordelia Eke, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch; Sebastian Essien, Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN); Dogala Sakpege, Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME); and Dr. Mechi Brown, Director of Industry at the Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, among others.

A technical team from CAC was also on ground during the interactive session to address customer complaints and offer real-time solutions to registration and compliance challenges.