The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced that its newly launched Artificial Intelligence (AI) business registration portal now processes over 11,000 transactions daily, signaling a major leap in automation, but not without challenges.
The CAC says it is actively addressing technical issues related to identity verification and payment processing that continue to affect the user experience.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Commission highlighted the efficiencies delivered by the portal since its rollout on June 30, including the issuance of registration certificates within 30 minutes, once a director’s National Identification Number (NIN) is verified.
The portal also allows users to test multiple business names without payment upfront, reducing barriers to entry for entrepreneurs.
“You can’t compare AI with humans for service delivery. We now handle over 11,000 cases daily,” the CAC stated.
“Last Friday alone, we received 8,000 name reservation requests, all processed the same day. That would have taken two weeks manually. Automation through intelligence is necessary. It’s a change we must accept.”
External System Failures Fuel Downtime
Despite significant efficiency gains, CAC acknowledged that the system’s slowdowns have primarily stemmed from dependencies on external platforms.
- The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) portal has been offline for several weeks, preventing automatic NIN confirmation.
- The REMITA payment gateway has experienced intermittent outages, disrupting fee collection.
- Stamp duty remittances pause whenever the ProTax platform goes offline.
To mitigate these setbacks, CAC says it has requested Treasury approval for an alternative payment channel to ensure continuity during REMITA disruptions.
Security, Support & User Feedback
The Commission added that security has been tightened with the introduction of one-time passwords (OTPs) for every transaction, safeguarding filings from unauthorized access.
According to the CAC, a dedicated help desk portal now handles 3,000 complaint emails daily, helping refine the platform and address concerns in real-time. Software patches are also being rolled out to restore disrupted services, with full functionality expected soon.
A fee adjustment, announced in June, will take effect on August 1 to fund continued system improvements.
CAC says it remains committed to resolving all issues swiftly, ensuring the AI portal delivers on its promise of faster, more secure, and cost-effective registration services.
