From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Corporate Affairs Commission has approved free business name registration for 3,500 small businesses nationwide as part of activities marking its 35th anniversary.
The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the anniversary celebration in Abuja.
Magaji said the initiative was aimed at supporting small and medium-scale enterprises and encouraging formalisation of businesses across the country.
He added that other programmes lined up to commemorate the anniversary include scholarships for outstanding corporate law students across the six campuses of the Nigerian Law School, donations to internally displaced persons and orphanages, as well as staff welfare incentives, including commemorative bonuses and special loan facilities.
Speaking on the anniversary theme, “Upholding Public Trust Through Excellent Service Delivery,” the Registrar-General described the celebration as one of purpose, resilience and transformation.
“At 35 years, the Corporate Affairs Commission stands out not only as a statutory institution but a pillar and cornerstone of corporate practice and governance, in addition to being the gateway to the Nigerian economy,” he said.
Magaji noted that the Commission had evolved from a single manual registration office in Abuja to a fully digital corporate registry accessible globally.
“In the early years, business owners had to travel to Abuja to register their businesses, with all records processed manually. Today, the Commission receives nearly 10,000 business registration requests daily, while its customer support channels handle about 5,000 inquiries daily,” he stated.
He also disclosed that the Commission had partnered with Google to strengthen its technology infrastructure and enhance ease of doing business through improved portal performance.
According to him, more than four million businesses were registered between 2024 and 2025.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, Ahmed Munir, commended the Commission for leveraging digital technology to simplify business registration processes.
He assured the Commission of legislative support to further enhance its digital infrastructure and transparency.
“Our committee remains committed to providing legislative support to enable the Commission to effectively discharge its mandate,” Munir said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, praised the Commission’s contribution to Nigeria’s corporate and economic development.
He noted that the transition from manual to digital registration had simplified business processes, promoted transparency, and encouraged both domestic and foreign investment.
Rimi urged the Commission to deepen innovation through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain to further enhance trust and global competitiveness.
The anniversary celebration began last Friday with special prayers at the National Mosque, Abuja, followed by a walk-for-life exercise, a thanksgiving service at the National Ecumenical Centre, and an anti-corruption day event.
Highlights of the celebration included the unveiling of an AI-powered legal assistant known as the “CAMA Lawyer,” designed to provide instant guidance on corporate regulations and procedures, as well as a business name generator to assist entrepreneurs in selecting available and scalable names.
The event brought together government officials, corporate stakeholders and industry players to commemorate the Commission’s 35 years of corporate regulatory service in Nigeria.