CAC Delists Over 400,000 Companies in Major Corporate Clean-Up Across Nigeria

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has delisted more than 400,000 companies from Nigeria’s official corporate register in a sweeping clean-up exercise aimed at improving transparency, strengthening compliance, and eliminating inactive or fraudulent entities from the system.



The large-scale delisting exercise, carried out in 2025, targeted companies that were found to be inactive, dormant, or non-compliant, particularly those that failed to file statutory annual returns for several consecutive years.

Speaking on the development, the Registrar-General of the CAC, Hussaini Magaji, SAN, said the move was necessary to restore confidence in Nigeria’s corporate registry and eliminate what he described as “ghost companies” that exist only on paper.

According to the commission, many of the affected firms had ceased operations long ago but remained on the register, creating loopholes for fraud, financial crimes, and identity abuse.

In a related action, the CAC also struck off 247 companies after investigations revealed that their registration details and RC numbers were improperly assigned or invalid, meaning the firms were never lawfully incorporated as limited liability companies.

Earlier in the year, the commission issued public notices to more than 100,000 dormant companies, granting them a grace period to regularise their filings or face delisting. Those that failed to comply were subsequently removed from the register.

The CAC explained that once a company is delisted, it ceases to exist legally and can no longer conduct business, operate bank accounts, or enter into contracts unless restored by an order of the Federal High Court.

The commission stressed that the clean-up exercise is backed by the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, which empowers it to strike off defunct and non-compliant entities.

Industry analysts say the move will improve ease of doing business, boost investor confidence, and ensure that only legitimate and active companies operate within Nigeria’s corporate space.

The CAC has advised business owners to regularly check their compliance status and ensure timely filing of annual returns to avoid sanctions or delisting.