The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced plans to deploy an Artificial Intelligence (AI) agent to tackle a backlog of 7,000 company registration applications and reduce service delays.
Registrar-General/CEO of the CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, revealed this during a stakeholders’ forum in Kano on Monday.
According to him, the AI agent will handle requests across compliance, registry, and customer service functions with greater speed and accuracy, addressing challenges that have slowed down service delivery.
Transition Challenges With the AI Portal
Magaji admitted that the transition to the CAC’s AI-driven portal, launched in June 2024, has been bumpy, with customers experiencing delays, especially for services not covered in the initial deployment phase.
The Registrar-General explained that the system has been overwhelmed by the volume of applications, leading to slower approvals. To improve efficiency, the Commission also plans to use AI to manage its high daily inquiry load, which includes no fewer than 3,000 emails per day.
The AI tool under development will:
- Read and comprehend emails within a minute
- Detect duplicate requests
- Redirect inquiries to the right departments for faster resolution
Magaji reassured stakeholders that “problems have been identified, and solutions are already in motion” to stabilize the AI system and enhance customer satisfaction.
The New AI-Driven Registration Portal
The CAC’s AI-powered portal represents a complete overhaul of the Commission’s old Company Registration Portal (CRP).
Key features include:
- Instant business name approvals
- Smart suggestions for alternative names when preferred options are unavailable
- Simplified processes comparable to creating an email account
Despite these innovations, users have faced persistent glitches such as:
Payment confirmations not reflecting
Inability to upload or submit documents
Delays in approval notifications
These challenges have contributed to the 7,000-application backlog that the AI agent is now being deployed to address.
CAC’s Progress Despite Setbacks
In July, despite complaints from users, CAC disclosed that its new portal was already processing over 11,000 transactions daily, calling it a major leap in automation.
While the transition has been far from smooth, officials maintain that the move to AI will ultimately simplify business registration in Nigeria, improve turnaround times, and support the country’s broader push for digital transformation in governance.
Final Thoughts
The CAC’s plan to deploy an AI agent to clear its backlog marks a significant step in modernizing Nigeria’s business registration process.
If successfully implemented, it will not only resolve the current backlog but also set the stage for faster, more reliable, and automated company registration services in the future.
