Every week in Nigeria, someone pays a deposit to a supplier who disappears. Another person signs a contract with a company that does not exist. A third person registers a business name only to discover it is already taken. All three situations have one thing in common: a free five-minute check on the CAC public search portal could have prevented them.
The Corporate Affairs Commission provides an online tool that lets anyone verify whether a business is registered in Nigeria, what its current status is, and whether a name is already taken before you register it. This article walks through exactly how to use it.
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What Is the CAC Public Search Portal?
The CAC Public Search Portal is an online database maintained by the Corporate Affairs Commission, the government body responsible for registering and regulating all companies and business names in Nigeria. It allows anyone, buyer, investor, regulator, or business owner, to look up any registered entity without paying a fee or creating an account.
The database covers all entity types registered with CAC, including business names, private limited companies, public limited companies, incorporated trustees, and limited liability partnerships. If a business is genuinely registered in Nigeria, it will appear here. If it does not, treat that as a warning.
The search portal sits at search.cac.gov.ng, while the main CAC website is at cac.gov.ng. Both are official. Several unofficial third-party sites mimic the design or claim to offer the same service. Always confirm you are on one of these two addresses before relying on any result.
Why People Use It
The most common reasons are straightforward.
Before paying a vendor or signing a contract, you want to confirm the business actually exists and is legally registered. Before registering your own business name, you need to check it is not already taken. Banks, embassies, and government procurement offices use it to confirm a supplier’s legitimacy before processing transactions.
Regulatory authorities, banks, and embassies use the portal to check if businesses are properly registered. For individual buyers and investors, the benefit is simpler: it takes less than a minute and can save you from a fraudulent transaction.
How to Check a CAC Business Name Registration
Step 1: Go to the Official CAC Search Portal
Open your browser and go to https://search.cac.gov.ng. This is the dedicated public search page. You do not need to log in or create an account. The tool is free to use and accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
Step 2: Enter the Business Name or Registration Number
Enter the name of the business, company, or incorporated trustee in the search box. Ensure you spell the name correctly to improve search accuracy. Alternatively, if you have the entity’s RC (Registration Certificate) or BN (Business Name) number, input this in the search field.
The RC or BN number gives a more precise result. Names sometimes return multiple entries, particularly if similar businesses share common words. If you have the registration number, use it.
Step 3: Review the Results
CAC will display the company name with its RC number and date of registration. The same applies to business names and NGOs. This process will also show you the status of such a company, either ACTIVE or INACTIVE.
Active status means the business has been filing its annual returns and remains in good standing. Inactive status means the business has been defaulting on annual returns. It is still registered but no longer compliant. Businesses or companies showing a green “active” status are compliant and up-to-date with their annual returns obligations. However, those displaying a red “inactive” status need to pay their annual returns to regain active status.
A third status you may see is “under registration,” which means the application has been submitted and is still being reviewed by CAC.
Step 4: Cross-Check the Details
Do not stop at confirming the name exists. Look at the registration number, the date of registration, and the status. If the address on the CAC record differs significantly from the address on the business card, invoice, or website, ask for an explanation. Fraudsters sometimes present certificates for a different but similarly named company. Always compare the full registered name character by character. “Lagos Logistics Limited” and “Lagos Logistic Limited” are different registrations.
This step takes thirty seconds and catches most cases of name cloning and document fraud.
Step 5: Request a Certified True Copy for Deeper Verification
The public search gives you the basics. The public search gives only basic details. To get more official information, you need to apply for a Certified True Copy (CTC) or official CAC documents. It does not show directors or shareholders of a company. It does not display financial statements. It only provides preliminary details, not full corporate records.
For high-value contracts or partnership agreements, the next step is requesting a Certified True Copy through a CAC accredited agent. This gives you the full incorporation documents, directors’ details, and shareholder information in a format that is legally recognised.
What the Public Search Shows and What It Does Not
| Information | Available via Public Search? |
|---|---|
| Registered business or company name | Yes |
| RC or BN number | Yes |
| Date of registration | Yes |
| Active or inactive status | Yes |
| Directors and shareholders | No |
| Registered address | Being phased out for privacy |
| Memorandum of association | No |
| Financial statements | No |
| Full incorporation documents | No, requires a CTC |
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Using the Public Search to Check Name Availability Before Registering
If you are about to register a business name and want to know whether it is already taken, the same portal handles this. Search for your proposed name before you pay any registration fee. The CAC does not approve names that are identical to or closely resemble existing registered names to avoid confusion. If you register without searching, it might lead to the rejection of your business name.
A few practical points when checking for availability. Search for variations of your proposed name, not just the exact version. “Quick Logistics” and “Quicklogistics” may both be rejected if either exists. Check common alternative spellings. Also search for the name without the business suffix, so search “Quick Logistics” rather than “Quick Logistics Limited,” since the portal returns results regardless of business type suffix.
If the name is clear, you can proceed to reservation. After successfully logging in, navigate to the name reservation section beside the public search. You will be asked to enter your desired business name and provide details about your proposed business. The name reservation fee is currently around ₦600 to ₦800, payable via the online portal.
Common Issues People Run Into
The Business Name Doesn’t Appear Even Though It’s Registered
This can happen if the registration was done recently and the database has not yet updated. The CAC online database is updated on a regular basis as registrations are carried out. With this prompt update, it is possible to conduct a CAC business search on an entity that has just been registered to confirm the status of the registration. If you registered recently and your name is not appearing, give it a few hours and try again.
The Name Appears as Inactive
An inactive status does not mean the business no longer exists. It means the company has fallen behind on annual returns. It could be that it has not paid its yearly returns to CAC. You will need the services of an agent to help pay and update the status. For your own business, resolving this requires engaging a CAC accredited agent to file the overdue returns and have the status restored to active.
Multiple Similar Names Appear
This is common when a business name uses generic words. Narrow your search by using the full registered name or the RC/BN number if you have it. If you are doing pre-registration availability checks, multiple similar results are a signal to reconsider your name choice or differentiate it more clearly.
You Cannot Access the Portal
The CAC portal has experienced intermittent downtime in the past. If the site is unavailable, try again later or use the main CAC website at cac.gov.ng as an alternative entry point to the public search section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CAC public search free to use?
Yes. The basic public search is free and accessible without any login. Detailed information beyond the basic search results, such as copies of incorporation documents, directors’ personal details, and certified records, requires a formal request through a CAC accredited agent and typically attracts a fee.
Can I verify an NGO or church registration on the CAC portal?
Yes. CAC Public Search is not only useful for companies and business names. It can also help verify incorporated trustees such as NGOs, religious bodies, associations, charitable bodies, and foundations.
What does “struck off” mean in a CAC search result?
A struck-off status means that the company has been dormant and non-compliant with annual returns provisions, and CAC has decided to remove it from their records. A struck-off company cannot legally conduct business and would need a formal restoration process to return to active status.
Can I find directors’ names through the CAC public search?
No. Director and shareholder information is not shown in the public search results. To access this, you need to request a Status Report or Certified True Copy through a CAC accredited agent. The Status Report from CAC shows current directors, shareholders, and registered address and is a separate paid service.
What if the company name I find looks slightly different from the one on a certificate I was given?
Always compare the full registered name character by character. “Lagos Logistics Limited” and “Lagos Logistic Limited” are different registrations. Any registered Nigerian business knows its RC number. Hesitation or an inability to provide this number quickly is a serious warning sign. If the name on the certificate does not match exactly what appears on the portal, treat that as a serious discrepancy and do not proceed with a payment or contract until it is resolved.
How often is the CAC database updated?
The CAC database is updated continuously as registrations are processed. New registrations, status changes, and annual return filings reflect in the system relatively quickly, though there can be a short lag for very recent entries.
Conclusion: The Check Takes Five Minutes and the Risk Is Real
Fraudulent businesses, cloned company names, and inactive registrations are not rare in Nigeria. The CAC public search does not eliminate all risk, but it eliminates the most obvious and avoidable kind. Before you pay, sign, or partner, run the search first.
If the result raises questions, step up to a Certified True Copy before proceeding. And if you are about to register a business name, use the portal to confirm your preferred name is clear before you pay the reservation fee.
Obtain Your CAC Certificate
Let our team handle your CAC registration and help you obtain your certificate without stress. From business name registration to company incorporation.
