Corporate Affairs Commission Restores Portal Following Major Cyberattack And Data Breach Investigation

The Corporate Affairs Commission restores its portal after a cyberattack hit millions of business data points. NDPC launches a formal data breach investigation.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 5:58 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Business Hallmark

Strategic Shutdown To Safeguard National Business Registry

Business registration and statutory filings in Nigeria ground to a halt over the weekend as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) deactivated its online portal to counter a significant cyber threat. The shutdown, which commenced on Friday, April 17, was a reactive measure following the discovery of a breach that reportedly compromised millions of data points within the commission's database. Operations remained suspended until the early hours of Monday, April 20, leaving thousands of entrepreneurs and legal professionals unable to reserve business names or file essential corporate documents.

Collaboration With NITDA For Infrastructure Resilience

In the wake of the attack, the CAC has announced a strategic partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). This collaboration aims to conduct a forensic audit of the commission’s digital infrastructure and implement more robust security protocols to prevent future incursions. A spokesperson for the commission noted that the downtime was utilized not only for repairs but also for critical system upgrades designed to enhance overall service delivery and user confidence in the wake of the security lapse.

Formal Investigation Launched By Data Protection Watchdog

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially launched an investigation into the incident to determine the depth of the data exposure. The NDPC's probe will evaluate whether the CAC maintained adequate security measures as mandated by national data protection laws. The outcome of this investigation will likely dictate new compliance standards for government agencies handling sensitive corporate and personal information, as the breach is considered one of the largest involving a Nigerian regulatory body in recent years.