10,000 Registrations a Day: CAC Leverages AI to Speed Services

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) now processes nearly 10,000 business registration requests every day. This increase is owing to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) on its service platforms.

It marks a significant change from previous years, when the commission managed just hundreds of applications each day.

AI: The Catalyst Behind the Surge

At the CAC’s 35th anniversary lecture in Abuja, Registrar‑General Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, explained that using AI has become essential because of the high demand.

“Today, CAC receives close to 10,000 business registration requests daily, compared to only hundreds in the past. Managing such volumes would be impossible through manual processes,” said Magaji.

Magaji also shared that CAC’s support systems now handle about 5,000 customer inquiries daily through email and call centers. This was a task that previously strained their limited staffing resources.

What’s Driving the Rising Demand?

CAC officials point to several structural and economic factors driving the increase:

• Tax reforms and incentives that encourage businesses to formalize.
• Government programs promoting the registration of informal enterprises.
• The growth of digital and social media businesses seeking legitimacy.

These factors have pushed Nigeria’s formal business ecosystem forward, while global economic challenges encourage entrepreneurs to legitimize their work for better access to credit, investment, and market chances.

AI in Action: What It Does

CAC’s AI platform is more than just a faster way to process requests. It brings several important innovations:

• AI Responses to Regulatory Queries: An integrated AI legal assistant can instantly answer questions about corporate law and procedures.
• Business Name Generator: Entrepreneurs can test and reserve names more efficiently online.

Registrar‑General Magaji believes these enhancements show a commitment to providing world-class corporate registry services that are accessible 24/7 from anywhere.

Collaborations and Future Pathways

To improve its technological capabilities, CAC announced a partnership with Google to enhance its digital infrastructure. This partnership aims to boost portal performance, system reliability, and turnaround times.

Tech stakeholders view this collaboration as critical to reinforcing confidence in Nigeria’s corporate governance. It is expected to speed up innovation and make the registration portal more resilient to outages and cyber threats.

Challenges and Criticisms

This transition has faced some bumps. Early in its rollout, the CAC’s AI portal had technical issues that frustrated some users and service professionals.

Critics from the legal community raised concerns about glitches that complicated registration tasks during the initial months.

However, CAC leaders assert these were temporary challenges and believe the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term problems.

What It Means for Nigerian Entrepreneurs

For many small business owners and startups in Nigeria, faster registration opens doors to:

• Formal credit markets
• Government support and incentives
• Legal recognition
• Investment opportunities

This change turns informal businesses into recognized contributors to the economy. The increase in formalized firms points to a shift that could boost business confidence, attract investments, and strengthen Nigeria’s corporate landscape.