The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has introduced a pilot Artificial Intelligence-enabled registration platform designed to streamline business registration processes and reduce turnaround times.
The new system, according to Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of the CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, was unveiled during the Commission’s 2025 Stakeholders’ Forum in Port Harcourt.
He explained that the AI-based portal aims to improve efficiency by granting near-instant approvals and simplifying the procedure for business name reservations and registrations.
Magaji said the new portal enables applicants to complete company registration using only the National Identification Number (NIN) of a director or proprietor. Once the NIN is verified in real time, a certificate of incorporation can be issued and sent via email within 30 minutes.
“The target time for business registration is under 30 minutes to generate a certificate and deliver it to the customer’s email, subject to real-time NIN verification,” he said. While noting that delays may occasionally occur due to the responsiveness of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), he added that the system includes an AI-driven contingency feature that uses photo ID matching to address such issues. To further improve security, Magaji said the Commission will soon implement a two-factor authentication process that uses One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to prevent unauthorised changes to company records. Only registered directors will be able to approve modifications under the new security framework.
The CAC also plans to launch a mobile application in the last quarter of 2025, which will allow users to monitor and manage transactions from their smartphones.
Magaji said the Commission is currently assessing over 100 partnership proposals from both local and international service providers, including the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System. These partnerships are expected to broaden access to the platform and improve service delivery.
The Registrar-General also announced that a review of CAC service fees will take effect from August 1, 2025.
He said the adjustment is necessary to support ongoing reforms and sustain service standards. The forum featured goodwill remarks from several professional groups, including the Nigerian Bar Association (Port Harcourt Branch), the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, and the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. Representatives from the Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (Port Harcourt Branch) were also in attendance.
A CAC technical team was present at the event to address participants’ complaints and assist with real-time registration issues.
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