The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has officially removed more than 400,000 inactive and non-compliant companies from its registry in 2025, a move aimed at cleaning up Nigeria’s corporate landscape and enhancing regulatory oversight.
Registrar-General Hussaini Magaji revealed this during the CAC’s “Celebration Walk” in Abuja on Saturday, emphasizing that the delisting is part of the commission’s ongoing efforts to maintain a credible and up-to-date national companies register. “In 2025 alone, the commission de-registered over 400,000 companies to ensure our records reflect active and compliant entities,” he said.
Magaji highlighted that the commission has fully transitioned from a manual, location-based registry to a digital, end-to-end service model, allowing Nigerians at home and abroad to register and manage companies remotely. “Today, CAC provides services anywhere, anytime, 24 hours a day. You can register your business from your room without visiting our offices,” he noted, adding that the reforms have significantly improved the ease of doing business in the country.
The registrar-general further explained that CAC’s digital transformation has boosted investor confidence, improved transparency, and strengthened corporate governance. As part of its support for small businesses, the commission, in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), facilitated free business registrations for 250,000 entrepreneurs, reducing formalisation costs and encouraging participation in the regulated economy.
Magaji also announced the operationalisation of the beneficial ownership register, which allows the public to identify the ultimate owners of companies in Nigeria. The initiative has positioned Nigeria as a global reference point for corporate transparency and anti-financial crime efforts, enhancing accountability and trust in the business environment.
The CAC registrar-general concluded that the reforms, delistings, and support for small businesses collectively reflect the commission’s commitment to creating a transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly corporate sector in Nigeria.
