By Atoyebi Nike
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has officially launched a new Artificial Intelligence-powered business registration portal, marking a significant leap in Nigeria’s drive to simplify company incorporation and enhance ease of doing business.
Unveiled by CAC Registrar-General/CEO, Hussaini Magaji (SAN), during the Commission’s 2025 Stakeholders Forum in Port Harcourt, the AI-driven platform is designed to reduce registration time to under 30 minutes, from application to certificate delivery.
Describing the development as a “game-changer”, Magaji said the platform represents a total overhaul of the commission’s Company Registration Portal (CRP), with AI integrated into every stage of the registration process from name reservation to real-time approval.
“Reserving a company name is now as easy as opening an email account,” Magaji stated. “The system uses AI to suggest alternative names if your first choice is unavailable, and all approvals happen in real time.”
One of the platform’s key features is its ability to verify a business director’s or proprietor’s identity using the National Identification Number (NIN). Once verified, the system auto-generates the certificate of registration and sends it directly to the applicant’s email within 30 minutes.
To address potential identity verification challenges, Magaji revealed that the CAC has implemented an AI-powered photo ID matching technology, ensuring seamless registration even in complex cases.
“This initiative is part of our broader reform to deliver smarter, faster, and more transparent corporate services. With this AI portal, the CAC is not only enhancing service delivery but also positioning Nigeria as a competitive destination for investment,” he said.
The launch of the new portal is in line with the federal government’s digital transformation agenda, and is expected to significantly reduce bottlenecks for startups, SMEs, and foreign investors seeking to do business in Nigeria.
Business leaders and stakeholders hailed the development as a forward-thinking innovation that could transform Nigeria’s regulatory environment.
