CAC Deploys AI, Partners Google to Tackle Rising Business Registration Demand

CAC Deploys AI, Partners Google to Tackle Rising Business Registration Demand

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has intensified its digital transformation drive with the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to manage Nigeria’s rapidly growing business registration demands, while also entering a strategic collaboration with global technology giant Google to strengthen its digital infrastructure.

The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, disclosed this during the Commission’s 35th anniversary celebration in Abuja, where he traced CAC’s evolution from a paper-based registry to a fully technology-driven corporate registry serving millions of users across Nigeria and the diaspora.

According to Magaji, CAC now processes close to 10,000 business registration applications daily, a sharp increase driven by tax reforms, the monetisation of digital and social media businesses, and government policies aimed at formalising Nigeria’s vast informal sector.

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He explained that beyond registrations, CAC’s complaint management system handles an average of 5,000 enquiries daily via emails and call centres, stressing that managing such volumes manually would require an unrealistic expansion of manpower.

“Only AI technology can complement human capacity with the speed, accuracy and efficiency required to sustain this level of service delivery,” the Registrar-General said.

Magaji acknowledged that the transition to an AI-driven registration portal in 2025 came with initial challenges, including temporary service disruptions. However, he commended stakeholders and users for their patience, noting that the reforms were necessary to maintain global service standards and improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business.

As part of efforts to deepen its technology framework, CAC signed a Letter of Collaboration with Google, a partnership expected to enhance portal performance, system reliability, and the adoption of global best practices in digital service delivery.

The Commission also unveiled a redesigned website featuring two new AI-powered tools — an AI Lawyer, which provides instant responses on company laws, regulations and procedures, and an AI Name Generator, designed to simplify and speed up business name reservation.

Magaji recalled that CAC began operations in 1991 from a single office in Garki, Abuja, where entrepreneurs were required to travel long distances for manual registration.

“Today, our services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, anywhere in the world. We have moved from paper to portal, from queues to clicks,” he said.

In addition to technological reforms, CAC announced several corporate social responsibility initiatives to mark its 35th anniversary, including free business name registration for 3,500 small businesses, scholarships for outstanding corporate law students, donations to IDP camps, and support for orphanages nationwide.

The Commission also approved a 25 per cent commemorative bonus for staff, alongside special housing and car loan packages, and recommended promotions for pioneering and retiring staff not captured in the current promotion cycle.

Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, praised CAC’s transformation, noting that its shift from manual to digital operations has strengthened transparency, encouraged local and foreign investment, and improved Nigeria’s standing in corporate governance.

He urged the Commission to further embrace emerging technologies such as blockchain to deepen trust, inclusivity and competitiveness in Nigeria’s business environment.

CAC Deploys AI, Partners Google to Tackle Rising Business Registration Demand