After PREMIUM TIMES report, CAC postpones implementation of new fees, penalties

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced a postponement of the implementation of new fees and penalties for document downloads beyond 7 days, citing ongoing technical issues with its upgraded company registration portal.

In a statement by its management on Monday, CAC said the enforcement of new fees and penalties originally scheduled to take effect on 1st August, will now commence on 1st September 2025.

The decision comes after this newspaper reported about its new AI-powered registration portal, which has been plagued by technical issues and complaints from lawyers and businesses.

PREMIUM TIMES had on Saturday reported how the new AI-powered registration portal has been plagued by technical issues, causing frustration and challenges for businesses in Nigeria.

Lawyers who act as registration agents told this newspaper that the portal has been inaccessible for weeks, with customers unable to perform critical tasks, including the inability to conduct name searches, register business names, file post-incorporation documents, and submit annual returns.

The situation, they said, also raised concerns about the ease of doing business in Nigeria, with potential investors likely to be deterred by the commission’s system issues.

They expressed frustration with the commission’s handling of the situation, citing a lack of transparency and communication about the issues and the timeline for resolution, speculating that the commission’s actions may frustrate the system and justify the proposed fee hike scheduled to take effect in August.

On Sunday, CAC in its reaction to PREMIUM TIMES report attributed some of the issues to glitches experienced by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) portal.

The commission claimed that its commitment to delivering quality service and highlighted the measures it has taken to improve the portal’s performance, but failed to adequately address the concerns of users raised in PREMIUM TIMES report, with complaints continuing to mount.

But in its statement on Monday, CAC said the decision to postpone the implementation of new fees and penalties follows its observation of the current transitional challenges some users are experiencing.

“In our continuous efforts to ensure the smooth operation of our upgraded Company Registration Portal, and in consideration of feedback from our valued customers and stakeholders, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) wishes to announce the postponement of the implementation of the new fees and penalties for document downloads beyond 7 days.

“Originally scheduled to take effect on 1st August, the enforcement will now commence on 1st September, 2025, including the penalty for download after 7days.

“This decision follows our observation of the current transitional challenges some users are experiencing, particularly in areas such as: downloading of documents, payment processing, post-incorporation filings for business names, upload of certain required documents. We are working tirelessly, alongside our technical partners and stakeholders, to stabilise the system without shutting down the entire portal,” the statement said.

It said this temporary relief is part of its commitment to supporting businesses and ensuring a seamless user experience during this transition phase.

READ ALSO: CAC reacts to lamentations over ineffective portal as complaints mount

Speaking to this newspaper on Monday evening, an Abuja-based lawyer, Yomi Ogunsanya, welcomed the CAC decision, saying, “It is good that the commission is listening, at least we’ve been able to keep them on their toes and they are responding now. They have issued two statements in the last 72 hours. Before, they kept mute to the complaints of customers,” Mr Ogunsanya said.

However, he noted that there are still issues with the portal that need to be resolved, particularly with regards to downloads and post-incorporation filings.

“There are still some issues. The fact that they have postponed the increment is a sign of relief, the anxiety for the pending increase has reduced. They should try to work on the portal to make it seamless, particularly with regards to downloads, post-incorporation filings, etc,” he added.