CAC Moves To Delist 100,000 Companies Over Regulatory Breaches

• Affected companies have 90 days to file outstanding Annual Returns and beneficial ownership information.

• Corporate Affairs Commission warns non-compliant firms will be removed from the register without further notice.

• Commission says exercise is aimed at strengthening corporate transparency and sanitising Nigeria’s business registry.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has begun another nationwide compliance exercise that could result in the deregistration of 100,000 companies over persistent failure to meet statutory filing obligations under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020.

In a public notice issued on Wednesday, the Commission said the exercise is being conducted in accordance with Section 692 (3) and (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, which empowers it to strike off companies that fail to comply with regulatory requirements.

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The Commission directed the affected companies to regularise their records within 90 days by filing all outstanding Annual Returns and submitting information on Persons with Significant Control (PSC), otherwise known as beneficial ownership information.

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According to the CAC, the names of the affected companies have already been published on its official website, while affected entities have been advised to forward evidence of compliance to the Commission’s designated email address after completing the required filings.

The Commission warned that any company that fails to comply within the stipulated period would be struck off the register without any further notice.

“Please note that companies that fail to comply within the stipulated timeline shall be struck off the Register without further notice,” the Commission stated.

The CAC explained that the latest enforcement exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to maintain an accurate, credible and up-to-date companies register while ensuring compliance with statutory obligations by registered businesses.

It added that it remains committed to providing efficient registration and regulatory services while strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s corporate governance framework.

The latest move follows a similar compliance drive announced by the Commission in February 2026, when it also issued a notice of plans to delist 100,000 companies over prolonged inactivity and non-compliance with statutory requirements.

The Commission further recalled that it deregistered more than 400,000 companies in 2025, citing prolonged inactivity and failure to fulfil statutory obligations, as part of efforts to sanitise the national companies register and improve its integrity.

Under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, every registered company is required to file Annual Returns with the CAC to confirm that it remains operational and compliant with regulatory requirements. Companies are expected to file their returns within 42 days after each anniversary of incorporation, while registered business names are required to file annual returns before June 30 each year.

The Commission noted that failure to comply attracts statutory penalties, including late filing fees and the risk of deregistration.

It also explained that the mandatory disclosure of Persons with Significant Control is part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen corporate transparency, combat money laundering and align with international standards on beneficial ownership disclosure.