CAC Deregisters Over 400,000 Inactive Companies in 2025 Clean-Up

The Corporate Affairs Commission has removed more than 400,000 inactive companies from the nation’s corporate registry as part of ongoing reforms to promote transparency, protect the economy, and boost investor confidence.

The Registrar-General of the CAC, Hussaini Magaji, SAN, disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja during the commission’s monthly fitness walk, held to mark its 35th anniversary.

Magaji explained that the deregistered entities were largely non-operational companies that had failed for years to file statutory annual returns, warning that such firms pose serious risks to economic integrity.

“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,” Magaji stated.

He emphasized that cleaning up the register was necessary to build confidence and ensure Nigeria maintains a credible corporate registry, which is critical for attracting investment and preventing the misuse of corporate structures for illicit activities.

Reflecting on the commission’s evolution, Magaji noted that the CAC has transitioned from a manual, single-office operation at its inception in 1991 to a fully digital organization offering round-the-clock services.

“Today, our services are available anywhere, anytime, 24/7. We are the only government agency providing end-to-end digital services,” he said, adding that this transformation supports the Federal Government’s ease-of-doing-business agenda by allowing entrepreneurs to register and manage businesses remotely.

Magaji also highlighted the commission’s support for small businesses, disclosing a partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria that facilitated the free registration of 250,000 MSMEs in 2025, coupled with training and capacity-building support.

The fitness walk was attended by members of management and staff, forming part of activities to commemorate 35 years of the CAC’s operations as the statutory body responsible for company incorporation and regulation in Nigeria.