Lawyers, accredited agents, and hundreds of Nigerians have voiced their grievances over the faulty redesign of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) portal, dubbed the ‘Intelligent Company Registration Portal (ICRP).’

They unanimously noted that there was no prior notice about the redesign until users were unable to access the old portal. They also pointed out several errors that have marred the new system and are negatively affecting their businesses.

What the CAC ICRP Entails

The new ICRP portal, which is AI-powered, is an innovation meant to transform the company/business registration process in Nigeria and make it easier and more seamless for users across the country.

One of the new features is that users no longer need to engage in intensive business name searches as they used to. Now, users simply enter the proposed name, and the AI-powered portal conducts a deep search and informs the user if the name is available or not.

However, the artificial intelligence appears to be getting it wrong. Some users reported that the AI failed to recognize existing names, thereby erroneously suggesting that already-registered names are available for new registration.

Redesign Chaos: CAC’s Intelligent Portal Sparks National Frustration

The ability to reserve and register a business or company and file annual returns are some of the core elements of the ease of doing business (EDB). But the recent redesign of the CAC portal may have made this more difficult, following the launch of the Intelligent Company Registration Portal (ICRP).

Reserved Names Are Still Available for Reservation

Emmanuel Umaini, an accredited agent who shared his experience on the CAC’s Facebook page, disclosed that the ICRP is getting a lot of things wrong:

“A company that was registered since 2023 and active is available for reservation in the new Portal. Most of the names reserved on the new portal are still available for reservation if you do availability search. The new portal is not up to 5% functional.”

While commending the idea of AI on the CAC portal, Mr. Umaini called on the Commission to properly train those behind it:

“Whole idea of AI is commendable, but it seems that the people handling the job are not doing a good job at all. For now, human staff should assist the AI, so as to ease tension.”

No Information on Query History

Another user, Jerome Hope Goodluck, pointed out five major problems he encountered using the new portal:

• Queried applications with no information in the query history.
• Adoption of accredited agent’s information as Proprietor.
• Unavailability of TIN on certificates.
• New registrations not found on public search.
• New registrations showing “no record found” on the JTB portal.

He said:

“These issues have affected service delivery. I’ve sent mails but no response.”

We Can’t See Our Old Jobs

Another major concern, pointed out by a user, Harrison Hachy, is the inability to view previously submitted jobs:

“Some issues Corporate Affairs Commission needs to take a look at: You can’t update other names or third name in public profile, you can’t verify stamp duty for LTD, you can’t do a name subtitle or even change of name, the new AI OP error on NIN ID card verification or detection, loss of payment due to non-payment verification system, delays in approval for registration, we can’t see our old jobs and queried ones too…The AI site needs to be optimized and upgraded — not written off. Pls don’t create more problems trying to solve one.”

AI Is Approving Existing Names

Corroborating existing complaints by users, Yusuf AbdulRasheed Olanrewaju said:

“Stamp Duty Payment is not verifying. Certificate of approved names not downloading. The BN of approved businesses are not verifying on TIN portals, Processed jobs disappearing, AI is approving existing names and Post Incorporation not functioning.”

Newly Registered Businesses Not Reflecting on Portal

Mr. Isaiah Fatunmbi is worried that newly registered businesses are not appearing on the portal:

“Pls I successfully registered a business on the portal precisely on 8th of this month but till now it’s not reflecting on your portal as a registered business. I wanted to register for TIN, it’s saying ‘no Record Found.’ The certificate and status report were all offered. What else could be the problem?”

Portal Asking for Already-Made Payment

To Babatunde Ariyibi, the system’s request for repeated payments is baffling:

“Kindly note that payment was made for business/company registration on the portal and it showed successful. However, till this present moment, nowhere to see the payment reflection as we normally see before upgrade. It continuously requests for making another payment. Look into this please. Secondly, the dashboard of business names on post-incorporation is showing unavailable, barring one from carrying out their post-incorporation work. Kindly look into that too.”

Stamp Duty Payment Doesn’t Reflect

Musa Abdul Mumini also lamented:

“It’s quite unfortunate but the payment aspect has serious challenges as payment done for Stamp duty don’t reflect on CAC Portal and so registration can’t be completed. Also, payment for Consent to Convert BN to LTD was done successfully but it’s not reflecting on the CAC Portal too.”

Valid Means of ID Are Being Rejected

After submitting all accepted forms of identity, Manir Faisal was surprised that the AI portal still rejected them:

“Worst of all, valid means of ID are being rejected, locking users out while CAC continues to enforce the 7-day document download window, forcing many to pay again when access fails. This is not just frustrating, it’s unethical, as the Commission is clearly benefiting financially from these failures. We’ve had multiple payments made, yet the system says ‘no payment record found.’ Stamp duty fails, and TIN processing is blocked due to poor data sync with FIRS/JTB.”

Mr. Faisal further urged the Commission to suspend the 7-day download policy:

“Errors on the CAC portal have deprived users of downloading the completed jobs/certificates. Suspend the 7-day download policy, just like NIN was suspended, until this mess is fixed. Enough of this trial-and-error approach. All we ask for is a functional system.”

Lawyers Speak

In a related development, some lawyers who handle business and company registrations have berated CAC for how it handled the portal redesign. According to Abuja-based lawyer Yomi Ogunsanya, quoted by Premium Times:

“We have been facing the issue for over a week now. We just woke up one day and discovered that the whole portal has been changed and we discovered that they are trying to introduce AI we were not informed about initially.”

Like other legal professionals, he said the policy on ease of doing business is being undermined by avoidable errors:

“If you are coming into the country for any investment and you want to register your company and your lawyer is telling you that he cannot get a new reservation for you within 7 days — there is nothing like ease of doing business again in this situation.”

Although CAC’s Director of Public Affairs, Dominic Inyang, assured the public that the issue has been resolved:

“We have some glitches but it’s now working optimally. Yes, there were some issues. This is technology; it is not man-made. Our system is up and doing now.”

…users continue to complain about the same errors — intelligently committed by the AI.

Way Forward

While others complained, Mr. Mezie Osondu offered a practical solution: “The best thing to do is to run the two portals concurrently until the AI portal stabilizes.”

As of 2020, Nigeria ranked 131st out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business (EDB) index.