The Corporate Affairs Commission has launched its new Artificial Intelligence-driven Companies Registration Portal, moving towards completing business registrations in under 10 minutes. This development marks a significant shift for entrepreneurs and small business owners who often face long delays in formalising their operations.
The Registrar-General announced the platform during the Commission’s 2025 Management Retreat in Kaduna, describing it as a turning point in Nigeria’s corporate registry system. The new portal allows users to reserve names, register their businesses and instantly receive certificates – all without human intervention.
He explained that the upgrade comes after years of system failures that caused frequent crashes and data mix-ups. He compared previous challenges to “changing a damaged engine mid-air,” highlighting the scale of the reform.
With this AI adoption, CAC plans to extend automation to customer support and compliance monitoring. Future CAC tools will handle customer emails, interpret requests and redirect them within minutes. The goal is to eliminate human-induced delays and external influence in processing applications.
The Commission drew inspiration from the UK’s Companies House, adopting similar AI principles to improve transparency and productivity. He emphasised that artificial intelligence will not replace human judgment but will support it by handling repetitive tasks while staff focus on complex cases.
New Key Performance Indicators have been introduced across CAC offices to align staff roles with AI workflows, ensuring efficiency across departments. These reforms tie into the Commission’s broader agenda of staff welfare, institutional strengthening and revenue growth.
For MSMEs, this initiative could significantly reduce barriers to formal registration. Faster certification means entrepreneurs can access business loans, government support, and legal protection without waiting weeks or relying on intermediaries.
He urged staff to uphold integrity while implementing the system, noting that while AI can detect anomalies, human values remain essential for fairness.
“As we move from digital to intelligent registry, let us consolidate our gains and build an institution that future generations will be proud of,” he said.
