The Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, has deregistered more than 400,000 inactive companies from the corporate registry in 2025 as part of reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, protecting the economy and restoring investor confidence.
The Registrar-General of the CAC, Hussaini Magaji, SAN, disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja during the commission’s monthly fitness walk, which was organised as part of the activities marking its 35th anniversary.
Magaji said the affected entities were largely companies that had failed to file statutory annual returns for years and were no longer operational, warning that such firms posed serious risks to economic integrity.
He said, “In 2025 alone, we deregistered over 400,000 companies from our records. These were largely companies that had become inactive and failed to meet statutory obligations, including filing annual returns.
“Such entities pose threats to economic operations. Cleaning up the register was necessary to build confidence and ensure that Nigeria has a credible and reliable corporate registry.”
Magaji explained that a transparent and up-to-date register was critical to attracting both local and foreign investment, as well as preventing the misuse of corporate structures for illicit activities.
The CAC boss described the anniversary fitness walk as symbolic, noting that it reflected the commission’s resilience, teamwork and institutional evolution since its establishment in 1991.
The commission was established by the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990 to replace the inefficient Company Registry. As an autonomous body, it handles the incorporation and regulation of companies, business names, and incorporated trustees. It was modernised by CAMA 2020.
“CAC is 35 years old today. We are here with our staff to showcase our strength, our unity and our resilience. This gathering represents how far we have come as an institution,” Magaji said.
He recalled that the commission began operations as a largely manual agency, once confined to a single office in Garki, Abuja, but has since evolved into a fully digital, end-to-end service provider with global reach.
“The CAC has come a long way, from manual operations in one location to a fully digital organisation. Today, our services are available anywhere, anytime, 24/7. We are the only government agency providing end-to-end digital services,” he stated.
According to him, the digital transformation of the commission has significantly supported the Federal Government’s ease-of-doing-business reforms, eliminating the need for physical visits to CAC offices to register or manage businesses.
“You can register and manage your business from your room without stepping into any CAC office. That is what ease of doing business truly means,” he added.
As part of its support for small businesses, Magaji disclosed that the commission partnered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria to facilitate the free registration of 250,000 MSMEs in 2025.
He explained that the registrations were deliberately channelled through SMEDAN to ensure beneficiaries also received training and capacity-building support.
He added that improved welfare, timely payment of entitlements and clear career progression had boosted staff morale and service delivery.
The fitness walk was attended by members of management and staff, forming part of a series of activities lined up to commemorate 35 years of the Corporate Affairs Commission
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