…says digitalisation to boost commission’s efficiency
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on Monday disclosed that its transition from a manual system to an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven portal slowed productivity in the commission in 2025.
Speaking in Abuja, the Registrar-General of the CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, acknowledged that the year was particularly challenging due to the transition.
“I must acknowledge, however, that 2025 was particularly challenging. The transition to an AI-driven portal came with disruptions and temporary setbacks in productivity and service delivery in some areas.
“Transformational change is never easy. Nevertheless, I sincerely appreciate our stakeholders and customers for their patience, understanding and confidence that the desired outcomes will emerge.
“As I have consistently assured you, I will not relent until the CAC delivers services that rank among the best in the world. Indeed, nothing truly good comes easy,” he said.
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Magaji explained that the commission has already become a global reference point in name reservation and business name registration, with the ability to deliver these services in as little as 10 minutes from start to finish.
“In furtherance of our mission to ease the cost and process of doing business in Nigeria, let me state clearly that the deployment of AI at the CAC is not optional; it is necessary,” he said.
According to him, business registration volumes have grown exponentially, driven by factors such as tax reforms, the demonetisation of social media and digital businesses, and government policies promoting the formalisation of informal enterprises.
“To put this into perspective, the CAC now receives close to 10,000 business registration requests daily, compared to only hundreds in the past. In addition, our complaint management system, through emails and call centres, now handles an average of 5,000 enquiries every single day.
“Imagine the number of staff required to manage this volume manually. Only AI can effectively complement human capacity with the required speed, accuracy and precision,” he said.
Magaji disclosed that the commission would, at the event, witness the signing of a letter of collaboration between the CAC and Google, aimed at strengthening its technology framework and improving service delivery.
“Google brings global expertise and technological support that will further strengthen our system, enhance portal performance and deepen the ease of doing business in Nigeria,” he added.
He also announced the launch of the commission’s redesigned website, http://www.cac.gov.ng, noting that beyond its new look, it introduces two major features.
“It has an AI Lawyer, which enables users to ask questions on CAC laws, rules, guidelines, procedures and operations and receive instant and accurate responses.
“It also has a name generator, allowing users to generate and reserve scalable business names directly from our website with ease, speed and convenience,” he said.
Magaji described the occasion as historic as the CAC marked 35 years of progress, reforms and dedication to national service.
“Today is not merely a celebration of time; it is a celebration of purpose, resilience, transformation and national impact,” he said.
Reflecting on the commission’s journey, Magaji noted that when the CAC was established in 1991, it operated from a single office in Garki, Abuja, serving the entire nation.
“At that time, to register a business or association in Nigeria, citizens had to travel from every part of the country to Abuja. Processes were manual, records were paper-based, and service delivery was limited by geography and time.
“Yet, that single office laid the foundation for what has become one of Africa’s most dynamic and reform-driven corporate registries,” he said.
He added that by 2026, the CAC had evolved significantly, with services now accessible across Nigeria and globally.
“Today, our services are no longer confined to one location. They are accessible anywhere, anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“This is our evolution, from paper to portals, from queues to clicks, from stress to stimulus, from one office to the world,” Magaji stated.
