CAC’s AI-Powered Portal Processes 11,000 Transactions Daily, Boosting Business Registration.
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria has announced that its newly launched Artificial Intelligence (AI) business registration portal is now handling over 11,000 transactions daily, marking a significant leap in the country’s corporate registration process. Launched on 30 June 2025, the Intelligent Companies Registration Portal has streamlined operations, enabling entrepreneurs to secure registration certificates in as little as 30 minutes, provided a director’s National Identification Number (NIN) is verified.
The CAC, in a statement shared via its official X handle, highlighted the platform’s efficiency, noting that it processed 8,000 name reservation requests in a single day, a task that previously took two weeks under the manual system. “You can’t compare AI with humans for service delivery,” the Commission stated, emphasising the portal’s ability to allow users to test multiple business names without upfront payment, reducing costs and barriers for new entrepreneurs. Despite these advancements, the CAC acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly with identity verification and payment processing, which have caused delays for some users.
Technical hitches, primarily linked to external platforms, have been identified as the main culprits behind slowdowns. The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) portal, which facilitates real-time NIN verification, has been offline for weeks, while the REMITA payment gateway and ProTax platform have experienced intermittent outages, disrupting fee collection and stamp duty remittances. To address these issues, the CAC has requested Treasury approval for an alternative payment channel to ensure continuity during downtimes. The Commission is also rolling out software updates to restore services like annual returns and post-incorporation filings, which have been affected by the transition to the AI system.
Security has been a key focus, with the introduction of one-time passwords (OTPs) for every transaction to prevent unauthorised filings, though this has raised concerns among some registration agents. The CAC’s dedicated help desk now manages around 3,000 complaint emails daily, using feedback to refine the platform and enhance user experience. A fee adjustment, set to take effect on 1 August 2025, will fund further technological improvements, ensuring the portal’s sustainability.
Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, the CAC’s Registrar-General, stated that the AI portal is part of broader reforms to make Nigeria’s business environment more investor-friendly. Plans are underway to launch a mobile application in the last quarter of 2025, allowing users to manage transactions from their smartphones. The CAC is also evaluating over 100 partnership proposals from local and international service providers to enhance the platform’s accessibility and functionality. As the Commission continues to address technical challenges, it remains committed to delivering a faster, more secure, and entrepreneur-friendly registration process, positioning Nigeria as a hub for seamless business operations.
