CAC delists 400,000 inactive firms, moves fully digital

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has removed over 400,000 inactive and non-compliant companies from Nigeria’s official corporate register in 2025 as part of efforts to sanitise its database and strengthen regulatory integrity.

Registrar-General of the CAC, Hussaini Magaji, disclosed this during a “Celebration Walk” organised by the commission on Saturday in Abuja.

Magaji said the mass delisting was aimed at eliminating dormant entities and ensuring the credibility of the national companies register.

“In 2025 alone, the commission de-registered over 400,000 companies,” he said.

He also revealed that the commission has completed its transition from a manual, location-based system to a fully digital, end-to-end platform, enabling Nigerians to access registration services remotely.

According to him, the digital transformation has significantly improved the ease of doing business, allowing entrepreneurs to register their businesses from anywhere in the world without visiting CAC offices.

“Today, CAC provides services anywhere, anytime, 24 hours a day. You can register your business from your room without coming to our offices,” Magaji said.

The registrar-general noted that the reforms have boosted investor confidence, enhanced transparency, and strengthened corporate regulation in the country.

Magaji further disclosed that the commission, in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), facilitated free business registration for 250,000 entrepreneurs to support small and medium-scale enterprises.

He explained that the initiative was designed to lower the cost of formalisation and encourage small businesses to operate within the regulated economy.

He added that the CAC has operationalised a beneficial ownership register, enabling the public to identify the true owners of companies, a move he said promotes accountability and supports the fight against financial crimes.

According to Magaji, the register has become a global reference point for corporate transparency.