Nigerians Slam CAC as AI Approves ‘BokoHaram Hub’, ‘Nigeria Must Scatter’, Other Offensive Business Names

A wave of outrage has erupted across Nigeria after it was discovered that the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)’s new AI-powered registration portal approved names such as BokoHaram Training Hub, Explosives Making Enterprises, and Nigeria Must Scatter Enterprises as legitimate business names.

The commission launched its new platform, the Intelligent Company Registration Portal (iCRP 3.0), on July 1, 2025, promising to incorporate businesses in under 30 minutes using artificial intelligence to automate name reservations, documentation checks, and data validation. According to CAC, the system was designed to simplify business registration for startups and SMEs by eliminating manual review processes.

However, public backlash is intensifying over what many have described as a reckless rush toward automation at the expense of oversight and national security.

“This so-called ‘intelligent’ system is anything but,” said Manir Faisal, a lawyer and CAC-accredited agent who flagged the issue in a viral Facebook post. “Names like Bandits Food Supply and Nuclear Proliferation Services were approved without question. A human reviewer would’ve never allowed this.”

Faisal expressed concern that the AI lacks the critical human judgment needed to filter out names deemed offensive, misleading, or dangerous—criteria clearly outlined in Section 30(1) of CAMA, Nigeria’s corporate law. He criticized the CAC’s decision to ditch the previous CRP 2.0 platform instead of improving it.

Supporting Faisal’s concerns, other Nigerians took to social media to share their frustrations.

“To AI, Boko Haram is just B-O-K-O H-A-R-A-M. It doesn’t understand national trauma,” wrote Ahmad Aminu Ahmad, who stressed that AI systems require robust training on public ethics and historical context to make appropriate judgments.

“My problem is that they will not take this as feedback, only as an attack,” added Umar Idris, pointing to the government’s recurring failure to respond to citizen concerns.

OctaveMusic Oyewumi noted that banks are unlikely to open accounts for such businesses, warning of practical complications for those affected.

Meanwhile, the CAC has defended its AI system, claiming it is still evolving and learning from user interactions. In a statement released by Registrar General Ishaq Hussaini Magaji, the commission acknowledged that some individuals may be deliberately testing the system to expose flaws but assured Nigerians that the AI would improve over time.

“The ICRP is not static—it evolves daily. We welcome constructive feedback to help us fine-tune the system,” Magaji stated. “However, we caution against deliberate efforts to manipulate or undermine it.”