The Corporate Affairs Commission in 2025 removed more than 400,000 companies from Nigeria’s official register, citing prolonged inactivity and failure to meet statutory obligations.
Peak Newspaper reports that the action forms part of a broader effort to restore accuracy and credibility to the national corporate database.
According to the Commission, the affected entities largely existed as shell companies that failed to file annual returns or show evidence of ongoing business. Regulators said such records weaken economic transparency and erode investor confidence.
Registrar General Hussaini Magaji said the exercise was designed to strengthen trust in Nigeria’s business environment by ensuring the register reflects only active and compliant entities. He added that a credible register is foundational to effective regulation, due diligence, and investment decisions.
The delisting coincides with wider reforms at the Commission. The CAC has moved to a fully digital, 24 hour service model that allows remote company registration and statutory filings. It has also operationalised a Public Beneficial Ownership Register to disclose the individuals who ultimately control Nigerian companies, a step aimed at curbing abuse of corporate structures.
The Commission clarified that companies marked as inactive are not automatically dissolved.
Affected businesses may restore active status by filing all outstanding annual returns through the CAC Service Portal. For 2025, the annual return filing fee is about ₦5,000 for small companies and ₦20,000 for public companies.
The CAC advised business owners to regularly verify their company status and maintain compliance to avoid removal from the register.
