The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced plans to deploy an Artificial Intelligence (AI) agent to resolve a backlog of over 7,000 pending company registration applications and improve overall service efficiency.
Registrar-General and CEO of the Commission, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, made the disclosure on Monday during a stakeholders’ forum held in Kano.
Magaji revealed that the AI-powered system marks a complete overhaul of the Commission’s existing Company Registration Portal (CRP), and is designed to significantly reduce delays across compliance, registry, and customer service functions.
“In a bid to tackle the backlog of 7,000 registration applications… an AI agent is being developed to handle requests across compliance, registry, and customer service with speed and accuracy,” a statement from the Commission quoted the Registrar-General as saying.
The new portal, launched earlier in June, is equipped with intelligent features such as real-time name approval and automatic name suggestions when a preferred business name is unavailable.
Magaji likened the ease of use to opening an email account, noting that the system is designed to deliver seamless, instant approvals.
He acknowledged, however, that the rollout has not been without challenges. Delays in processing applications—particularly for services not yet integrated into the first phase—have been reported due to the sheer volume of submissions.
“The delays are largely due to the overwhelming number of applications the system has had to process,” he explained.
AI to manage customer inquiries
In addition to processing applications, the AI tool is being developed to handle the Commission’s high volume of daily inquiries. According to Magaji, the CAC receives no fewer than 3,000 emails daily.
The AI system is being trained to read and understand emails within a minute, detect duplicate inquiries, and automatically reroute messages to the relevant departments for prompt action.
Magaji reassured stakeholders that the Commission is fully committed to resolving the teething issues associated with the AI rollout.
“Problems have been identified, and solutions are already in motion,” he said, adding that the ultimate goal is to deliver a faster, smarter, and more transparent service experience.
The CAC’s adoption of AI is part of broader efforts to modernise Nigeria’s business environment by streamlining regulatory processes and fostering ease of doing business.
