The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has achieved a historic milestone in its quest for total digital transformation. On Monday, February 9, 2026, during its 35th-anniversary celebration, Registrar-General Hussaini Magaji announced that the agency now processes nearly 10,000 business registration requests every day.
This staggering figure represents a massive leap from the “few hundreds” managed during the agency’s manual era. Magaji attributed this success to the full integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the CAC’s service platforms. This shift marks a defining moment for Nigeria’s economic formalization drive.
From Paper to Portal: A 35-Year Evolution
The theme of the anniversary, “Upholding Public Trust through Excellent Service Delivery,” reflected on the institutional resilience of the CAC since 1991. Established under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) of 1990, the CAC replaced the inefficient Company Registry of the old era.
In its early years, the commission operated from a single office in Area 11, Garki, Abuja. At that time, entrepreneurs from across Nigeria had to travel to the capital to file paper-based records. Today, Magaji noted, the registry is a fully digital, end-to-end system accessible globally 24 hours a day.
“This is our evolution: from paper to portal, from queues to clicks, and from one office to the world,” Magaji stated.
Navigating the “Perfect Storm” of 2025
While the current statistics are impressive, the transition was not without its hurdles. Magaji candidly admitted that 2025 was a particularly challenging year. The deployment of the AI-driven portal initially caused significant disruptions and temporary setbacks in service delivery.
The Registrar-General emphasized that transformational change is rarely easy. However, the long-term benefits of speed and precision far outweigh the initial “teething” problems. He thanked stakeholders for their patience, asserting that the CAC’s transition to AI was an inevitable necessity to manage the modern volume of business data.
Strategic Partnerships: The Google Collaboration
To further solidify its technological lead, the CAC has signed a Letter of Collaboration with Google. This strategic partnership leverages Google’s global technical expertise to enhance portal performance and strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
The collaboration focuses on three key areas:
- System Stability: Reducing downtime during peak registration periods.
- User Experience: Streamlining the interface for first-time entrepreneurs.
- Global Benchmarking: Ensuring CAC services rank among the best corporate registries worldwide.
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Innovation Unveiled: The AI Lawyer and Name Generator
As part of the 35th-anniversary highlights, the commission officially launched its redesigned website. The new site features cutting-edge AI tools designed to eliminate traditional bottlenecks:
- The AI Lawyer: This tool provides instant, 24/7 responses to complex inquiries regarding CAC laws and procedures.
- The AI Name Generator: Users can now generate and reserve scalable, unique business names in as little as 10 minutes, significantly reducing the time spent on name availability checks.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Staff Welfare
In a gesture of celebration and national impact, the CAC announced several high-impact initiatives for 2026:
- Free Registrations: The commission approved free business name registration for 3,500 small businesses across the 36 states and the FCT.
- Education Support: Scholarships will be awarded to the six best corporate law students from each campus of the Nigerian Law School.
- Philanthropy: The commission donated 120 mattresses to an IDP camp and provided support to various orphanages.
- Staff Rewards: Management approved a 25% commemorative bonus, alongside specialized car and housing loan schemes for the team driving these reforms.
The Broader Impact: Formalizing the Informal Economy
The surge in registration is fueled by more than just technology. Tax reforms and federal policies promoting the formalization of MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium-scale Enterprises) have played a critical role. By moving millions of entrepreneurs from the informal sector into a structured economy, the CAC is effectively “igniting the engine of the giant of Africa.”
Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, pledged continued technical support. He stressed that integrating AI is the only way to modernize national institutions effectively.
Conclusion: A Vision for West African Integration
Looking toward the future, the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce expressed a vision of a freely integrated ECOWAS corporate registry. This would involve a regional stock market aimed at expanding capital across West African communities.
For the CAC, the 35th anniversary is not just a look back; it is a launchpad into a future defined by efficiency and transparency. As Magaji concluded, every certificate issued is more than just a piece of paper—it is a symbol of a Nigerian entrepreneur’s ambition.
