By Lucy Ogalue

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has encouraged Nigerians to take advantage of its newly inaugurated Administrative Proceedings Committee (APC) to resolve disputes and grievances emanating from its services.

The Registrar-General of CAC, Hussaini Magaji, tol the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the commission was committed to serving the interest of the public.

NAN reports that the committee was established under Section 851 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.

The section provides that the commission shall establish an APC and the Registrar – General shall be the chairman of the committee.

According to Magaji, the committee offers a quicker and more cost-effective alternative to court litigation, helping to address issues such as name rejections and other administrative concerns.

“The committee was established to address grievances related to the commission’s mandate, offering an alternative to costly and time-consuming court proceedings.

“Disputes often arise from issues like the rejection of entity names or disagreements over the registration process.

“In such cases, affected individuals or organisations can approach the APC for a fair and efficient resolution.

“The committee, which operates under the CAMA, is designed to provide an expedited review of cases and offer solutions that can prevent the need for litigation,” he said.

According to Magaji, if a customer feels aggrieved by a decision, such as a name rejection, they can submit a formal complaint to the chairman of the committee, who is also the registrar-general.

“Customers can submit their complaints directly to the committee’s Chairman, who will facilitate a resolution, ensuring that all parties involved are satisfied with the outcome.

“With the committee now in operation, the CAC aims to reduce the burden on the judicial system, providing a quicker, more accessible route to resolving disputes related to company registrations,” he said.

Meanwhile, the registrar-general said that the commission was strengthening its partnership with the British High Commission on the Beneficial Ownership Register (BOR).

Magaji said this when a delegation from the high commission led by Mr Chris Okeke, visited CAC to explore ways to digitise legacy records and enhance transparency.

He said that the meeting was to ensure ways of backing up existing documents that had been on ground since 1912, which he said was vital to national growth and data collaboration of companies.

“Both organisations are working towards mopping up these documents, no matter how long ago the companies or establishments have existed.

“This is to ensure proper data documentation for them, knowing how important this is to the growth of the nation,” he said. (NAN)