CAC REMOVES OVER 400,000 COMPANIES FROM REGISTRY IN 2025

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has removed over 400,000 inactive companies from its official registry in 2025 as part of sustained efforts to enhance transparency, strengthen economic integrity, and boost investor confidence.

The Registrar-General of the Commission, Hussaini Magaji, SAN, disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja during the CAC’s monthly fitness walk, organised as part of activities marking the commission’s 35th anniversary.

Magaji explained that the affected entities were largely companies that had failed to file statutory annual returns for several years and were no longer in operation, noting that their continued presence on the register posed risks to Nigeria’s economic system.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

He stated that the deregistration exercise forms part of the CAC’s broader reform agenda aimed at maintaining a transparent, credible, and dependable corporate registry capable of attracting both domestic and foreign investments, while also curbing the misuse of corporate structures for illegal activities.

Magaji emphasized that a transparent corporate register is critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and investor trust.

He further disclosed that the CAC has transitioned into a fully digital, end-to-end service provider, enabling businesses to register and manage their operations remotely on a 24-hour basis. According to him, the digital transformation aligns with the Federal Government’s ease-of-doing-business reforms.

In addition, Magaji revealed that in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the commission facilitated free registration for 250,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in 2025, alongside the provision of training and capacity-building support.

He added that improved staff welfare and ongoing digital reforms have significantly enhanced service delivery across the commission.