By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has commended the management of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), for its transformation from manual registries to advanced digital platforms in the new era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Governor described the Commission’s adoption of artificial intelligence as a major step towards improving corporate governance and ease of doing business in Nigeria.
Mohammed was speaking on Thursday, at the opening of the CAC Management Annual Retreat held at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Bauchi, with the theme: “AI at Scale: Advancing an Intelligent Corporate Registry for Efficient and Trusted Service Delivery.”
The Governor described the hosting of the CAC retreat in Bauchi as both a privilege and a validation of the State’s developmental strides, particularly in the area of economic and business development.
He noted that the history of the Commission could not be written without recognising the contributions of sons of Bauchi State who have served as Registrars-General at different times.
He further said the CAC occupies a critical position in Nigeria’s economic architecture as the sole custodian of business formalisation and corporate regulation, stressing that an efficient and transparent corporate registry is essential to attracting investment, supporting businesses and expanding economic opportunities.
The Governor further highlighted his administration’s efforts to improve the business environment in Bauchi through the “My Bauchi Project” blueprint, including reforms aimed at removing bureaucratic bottlenecks, eliminating multiple taxation and streamlining fees and levies for entrepreneurs.
He urged the CAC to ensure that the deployment of artificial intelligence remains inclusive, secure and accessible to entrepreneurs across the country, acknowledging that the technology should help reduce registration time, detect fraudulent companies, strengthen data integrity and improve confidence in Nigeria’s corporate registry.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the CAC Board, Senator Ibrahim Ida (Wazirin Katsina), commended Bauchi State Government for the warm reception accorded members of the Commission,
He described the retreat as an opportunity to strengthen institutional efficiency and further improve service delivery.
The Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, said the retreat was not a jamboree but a platform for capacity development, innovation, institutional reflection and collective decision-making, with more than 400 members of the CAC family participating.
Magaji disclosed that the Commission was preparing to deploy artificial intelligence across its processes in collaboration with Google and its partners.
He said the new system would allow customers to interact with the CAC in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Pidgin, receive instant compliance guidance, and potentially complete business registration within minutes.
He added that the AI-driven system would reduce manual intervention, detect errors and fraudulent activities, improve data integrity and guide customers through the registration process, stressing that the initiative represents the next major phase of CAC’s digital transformation.
In his goodwill message, the Emir of Bauchi, Alh Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, who was represented by the Wazirin Bauchi, Alhaji Muhammad Uba Ahmad Kari, commended the CAC for its vital role in Nigeria’s economic development, describing the Commission as key to business formalization and investor confidence.
Beyond the technical discussions surrounding Artificial Intelligence, the retreat being attended by 400 Management and Senior Staff, represents a broader conversation about the future of governance and business in Nigeria—where technology, transparency and efficiency increasingly determine the competitiveness of institutions.
The stakeholders are expected to produce a communique containing recommendations that could significantly influence the CAC’s roadmap for Artificial Intelligence adoption and the next phase of corporate registry reform in Nigeria.
For Bauchi State, the hosting of such a high-level national engagement further underscores its growing ambition to position itself as a strategic destination for investment, innovation, technology and institutional development.
