The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced plans to strike off approximately 100,000 dormant companies from its register, citing prolonged non-compliance with statutory filing obligations.
In a statement published on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, the commission said that the affected entities have been identified as inactive or failed to file their annual returns for over than a decade. The move, according to the CAC, is part of a broader effort to sanitise Nigeria’s corporate registry and promote a culture of accountability and transparency in the business sector.
The CAC has given the companies a 90-day grace period, starting from July 29, 2025, to regularise their status by submitting all outstanding annual returns. Companies that fail to comply within this timeframe will be permanently removed from the register.
This action is in accordance with Section 692 (3) and (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) No. 3 of 2020, which empowers the commission to delist inactive or defunct companies.
“It shall be unlawful for any company struck off the Register to carry on business, having lost its right over the entity,” the statement noted.
The CAC urged affected businesses to file overdue returns immediately and notify the commission via email at activation@cac.gov.ng to avoid delisting. Companies that believe they have complied but are still listed must provide evidence of compliance within the 90-day window by contacting compliance@cac.gov.ng.
The full list of nearly 100,000 affected companies has been made available on the CAC’s official website for public scrutiny.
Registrar General Garba Abubakar previously disclosed that nearly 90% of registered companies in Nigeria are dormant, a figure that underscores the widespread non-compliance within the corporate sector.
The current action follows a series of similar exercises by the CAC. In December 2024, the commission announced its intention to delist 91,843 companies, and by November 2024, it had already removed 80,429 entities from the registry.
Legal experts note that once a company is struck off the register, only a Federal High Court order can reinstate it.
The commission also advised the public and stakeholders to verify the legal status of companies before entering into business transactions. Engaging with a delisted or dissolved entity could result in legal complications.
