KEY POINTS
- CAC announces new compulsory data fields for all online business name update requests.
- Date of birth, multiple email addresses, phone contacts and valid ID now required.
- Move designed to strengthen verification, reduce fraud and enhance database quality.
Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission has implemented tighter standards for processing business name updates, mandating a new set of personal and contact information from all applicants as the regulator accelerates its transition to more secure digital systems.
The agency said in a statement on Wednesday that all online update submissions must now include a proprietor’s date of birth, a registered office email, the proprietor’s email address, a phone number for the business or its owner, and a valid means of identification. Therefore measures take effect immediately.
The stricter protocol is framed as part of ongoing reforms designed to improve the accuracy of corporate records and bolster verification processes. Years of incomplete data sets, inconsistent filings, and identity-related discrepancies have also complicated compliance checks and allowed fraudsters to exploit vulnerabilities for fraud and impersonation.
CAC business name update requirements target verification gaps
By introducing the new CAC business name update requirements, the commission aims to tighten its authentication framework and create more reliable channels of communication with business owners.
The CAC further expects the policy to help streamline its database, reduce processing delays and support more effective monitoring of registered entities. The agency urged proprietors to comply promptly with the new rules to avoid disruptions in the handling of their applications.
While the update is the latest step in a decade-long shift from paper-based systems toward fully digital corporate administration. However CAC has been rebuilding its platform to reduce friction in filings, expand automation and improve transparency for entrepreneurs seeking faster registration and modification processes.
Finally as Nigeria’s central authority for registering and regulating companies and business names, the CAC drives a modernisation effort that aims to improve the country’s investment environment and reduce the administrative burdens that have long impeded small businesses.
