The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced that all requests to update business names online must now include additional personal and contact information.
The commission disclosed this in a public notice on Wednesday, emphasizing that the move is intended to improve verification and ensure the accuracy of registered business data.
The move aligns with the CAC’s ongoing efforts to digitize its processes and strengthen compliance.
According to the CAC, effective immediately, business proprietors submitting online updates must provide their date of birth, registered office email, proprietor’s email, a phone number for either the registered address or proprietor if different, and a valid means of identification.
The commission emphasized that these requirements aim to enhance the integrity of the business registry and reduce errors or fraudulent filings.
“The inclusion of these details will ensure that all business name records are accurate and verifiable, improving our capacity to serve businesses efficiently,” the notice stated.
The CAC added that failure to provide the required information may result in delays or rejection of update requests.
The CAC has, in recent months, increased pressure on businesses to comply with registration rules under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA). In April, the commission issued a public notice giving unregistered businesses a six‑week deadline to regularise their status; failure to do so could lead to prosecution.
At the same time, CAC indicated its intent to delist dormant or non‑compliant companies, those which failed to file returns or update records over a decade, in order to sanitise its registry and ensure the integrity of registered business names.
They issued a public warning after discovering that 15 company names and registration numbers circulating in Nigeria were not registered in its official database — meaning they are fake or forged.
The Commission said the alert became necessary after complaints about suspicious business activities tied to these entities. It advised Nigerians investors, businesses, and the general public to always verify company names and RC or BN numbers via the CAC online portal before engaging in any transactions, especially for high-value deals
In August, they also exposed 247 companies operating with false RC numbers. The affected entities were never legally registered, and their RC numbers have been removed from the official database.
The commission, as part of its digitisation drive launched an AI-driven registration portal aimed at transforming the business environment by simplifying company registration processes and accelerating approvals.