•Registrar-General/CEO of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN)
The integrity of the Corporate Affairs Commission’s (CAC) electronic registration process has come under fresh scrutiny following a petition alleging that two incorporated trustees bearing the exact same name were registered less than a month apart, in what lawyers describe as a violation of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020.
The petition, addressed to the Registrar-General of the CAC, is seeking the immediate cancellation of the registration of UKU Secondary Commercial School Alumni Association with Registration Number 9372207, alleging that the Commission had already incorporated an association with the identical name under Registration Number 9273595 on February 2, 2026.
According to the petition filed by Oshomegie & Co. on behalf of trustees Maliki Sylvanus Esikhotse Okuyelegbegbe and Maliki Iyafokhai John, the second association was registered on February 26, 2026— 24 days after their client’s incorporation, reports Saturday Guardian.
The solicitors argued that the later registration has no relationship whatsoever with their clients’ association and that allowing two incorporated trustees with the same name creates confusion and undermines the credibility of Nigeria’s corporate registration regime.
They contended that the registration contravenes Section 852(1)(a) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, which prohibits the registration of an incorporated trustee under a name that is identical to one already registered.
According to the petition, searches conducted on the CAC public portal revealed the existence of both registrations, prompting the demand for the commission to withdraw the certificate allegedly issued in error and delist the later registration.
The lawyers further maintained that the CAC has a statutory responsibility not only to prevent the registration of identical or deceptive names but also to rectify such errors where they occur.
The petition warned that retaining both registrations could create legal uncertainty over the identity, ownership and representation of the association, while potentially exposing members of the public to confusion in dealing with either body.
The solicitors therefore demanded the immediate deregistration of the association bearing Registration Number 9372207 and the withdrawal of its certificate of incorporation.
As of the time of filing this report, the Corporate Affairs Commission had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the petition.
The development is expected to renew attention on the robustness of the CAC’s automated name reservation and registration system, particularly its safeguards against duplicate registrations and compliance with the provisions of CAMA 2020.
