Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) said a major AI-driven website upgrade led to a record 11,000 companies registered in one day, compared to the one week it used to take to process each registration. The commission tried to address mounting complaints by users that the upgrade has not lived up to its promise of seamless registration.
“Interestingly, as of Friday, July 16, 2025, 8,000 Name Reservations were received and processed,” the commission posted on X on Sunday. “This is no doubt a feat that hitherto requires a minimum of 2 weeks to complete.”
However, many clients who spoke to said the CAC’s claims do not match their reality.
“I can’t pay to complete the registration because we can’t confirm payment yet,” said Olamide Egbetola, CEO of Chalcedony Digitals Ltd, who handles regulatory compliance for small businesses. “I paid for one, and although the money was deducted, we haven’t been able to verify it. I’ve had to pause everything and wait.”
The commission is transitioning from its legacy Company Registration Portal (CRP) to an AI-powered Intelligent Company Registration Portal (iCRP), which promises near-instant name reservations and one-hour company registrations. The CAC says the iCRP will automate core functions like tax identification number (TIN) generation and streamline filings through a more user-friendly interface.
Since the upgrade began in July 1, the CAC’s digital services, from business name reservations and new company registrations to tax ID generation and post-incorporation filings, have been plagued with errors and delays, according to multiple users.
Ibrahim Salisu, an accredited CAC agent with over 15 pending company briefs, said TIN generation is frozen and customer support is unresponsive. “Some certificates are ready, but we can’t generate TINs for them. They’re missing from the CAC public registry,” he told . “I’ve tried to reach the CAC through all the contact channels they provided, but there’s been no response. That’s the cry from agents like me.”
Public agency website upgrades like this are not new, but they typically come with clearer timelines and contingency plans. The Nigeria Immigration Service’s passport portal update lasted just 72 hours. Larger transitions, such as the National Identity Management Commission’s ongoing digital revamp, can stretch over several weeks or months, with alternative channels offered during outages.
The CAC issued a notice of its upgrade but failed to commit to a timeline for full restoration. The agency did not respond to requests for comment on the timeline.
Even before the current upgrade, CAC’s online systems faced operational challenges. Business name registrations typically took 24 hours, while limited liability company incorporations could take up to five days.
Abuja-based legal practitioner June Etim Idan said she often waited until midnight to use the portal because it functioned more reliably at night.
“The platform is faster at night,” she said. The current upgrade, she added, has now introduced additional delays for her clients.
The commission said it was taking note of the feedback from users and would “soon make the portal perform optimally as a champion of service delivery to the commendation of customers and stakeholders.”
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