The Corporate Affairs Commission dropped a bombshell on April 29, 2025, giving unregistered businesses in Nigeria a six-week ultimatum to register or face jail time. Announced through a public notice, the CAC, which oversees business compliance under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, made it clear that operating without registration is a criminal offense. The deadline, ticking down to June 10, 2025, has sparked a frenzy among small traders and entrepreneurs nationwide.Based in Abuja, the CAC is cracking down to enforce legal compliance, aiming to formalize Nigeria’s sprawling informal sector. The agency stated that businesses failing to register within the six weeks will face prosecution, with penalties including fines or imprisonment as outlined in CAMA 2020. This move, the CAC says, ensures proper documentation and accountability, protecting consumers and boosting the economy. The notice follows the CAC’s ongoing efforts, like its 2024 partnership with Opay to formalize 300,000 unregistered businesses, showing a pattern of pushing for compliance.The announcement has stirred urgency, especially for small-scale owners like market traders and freelancers who often operate without formal registration. Registering with the CAC involves a name search, filling out forms online, and paying fees—steps that can be done via the CAC’s portal. Failure to comply could lead to court, disrupting livelihoods for those unaware or unable to act in time.
What This Means for Nigerians
This is a wake-up call for anyone running a business without CAC registration—think roadside vendors, small shops, or even online hustlers. Registering makes your business legit, opening doors to loans and partnerships, but the tight deadline feels like a pressure cooker. For many, it’s a race against time to avoid trouble, but it also raises the stakes for fairness in a country where millions operate informally just to survive.
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