CAC now processes 10,000 business registration requests daily after AI deployment, enhancing efficiency and boosting Nigeria’s formal economy

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) now processes nearly 10,000 business registration requests daily, a dramatic rise from the “few hundreds” recorded in its early years, following the full deployment of artificial intelligence across its service platforms.

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Registrar-General Hussaini Magaji disclosed the milestone at the opening ceremony of CAC’s 35th anniversary in Abuja, describing it as a defining moment in Nigeria’s economic formalisation drive.

The event, themed “Upholding Public Trust through Excellent Service Delivery,” celebrated the commission’s evolution since its establishment in 1991.

“From paper to portal, from queues to clicks, from stress to seamless — this is our evolution,” Magaji said, recalling that CAC initially operated from a single office in Garki, Abuja, serving the entire nation.

The surge in registration volumes is attributed to tax reforms, government policies promoting formalisation of informal businesses, and growth in digital and social media-driven enterprises. CAC’s complaint management system now handles an average of 5,000 inquiries daily.

Magaji acknowledged initial disruptions during the transition to the AI-driven portal in 2025 but emphasised that such challenges are part of transformational change.

“Only AI can effectively complement human capacity with the required speed, accuracy, and precision,” he said. CAC now offers end-to-end digital services accessible 24/7 nationwide and globally, with turnaround times for business name reservations as little as 10 minutes.

To deepen digital transformation, CAC signed a Letter of Collaboration with Google, bringing global expertise to strengthen portal performance and ease of doing business in Nigeria.

The commission also unveiled a redesigned website featuring AI-powered tools, including an AI Lawyer for instant guidance on CAC laws and procedures, and an AI Name Generator for business name reservations.

As part of its anniversary initiatives, CAC approved free business name registration for 3,500 small businesses, scholarships for top corporate law students, donations to IDP camps and orphanages, and a commemorative 25% staff bonus.

Special car and housing loan schemes were also announced for staff, alongside board-recommended promotions for pioneers and retiring officers.

Ahmed Munir, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, lauded CAC’s reforms for simplifying business registration and empowering entrepreneurs to transition from the informal to the formal economy.

National Information Technology Development Agency Director-General Kashifu Abdullahi pledged technical support for CAC’s AI reforms, highlighting the importance of ethical and responsible AI deployment in modernising institutional operations.

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Since its creation under the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990, CAC has become central to the Federal Government’s push to expand Nigeria’s tax base, formalise micro, small, and medium enterprises, and improve the country’s ease-of-doing-business ranking.