CAC Company Search by Name: Free Check Before You Pay

The following is an illustrative example. Bisi had already paid ₦450,000 to a Lagos "logistics company" when she thought to check its CAC certificate. The PDF looked perfect: green seal, RC number, signature. A two-minute CAC company search by name told a different story. No company by that name existed on the register, and the RC number belonged to someone else entirely.

The search Bisi ran is free, needs no account, and works from any phone. Yet most Nigerians only think of it after the money has gone. This guide shows you how to do a free CAC company search by name, how to read what comes back, and the red flags that should stop any payment.

Why a CAC check matters more in 2026

A CAC certificate is now one of the most common props in Nigerian scams. It makes a WhatsApp vendor, a "recruitment agency" or an "investment firm" look official. The problem is that a certificate is just a document, and documents can be forged or borrowed.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) itself keeps warning about this:

• In December 2025, the CAC publicly named 15 entities that were displaying RC and BN numbers not found in its database, and told Nigerians to verify any company directly on its portal before doing business (BusinessDay, 2025).

• In a notice dated 15 July 2026, the CAC gave another 100,000 non-compliant companies 90 days to file outstanding returns or be struck off. It said it had already struck off more than 400,000 companies in 2025 (Techeconomy, 2026).

That 90-day window runs out around now. So a company that was real a year ago may no longer legally exist, even if its certificate is still on the office wall. A free CAC search by name is how you find out.

How to do a CAC company search by name for free

Yes, the CAC public search is completely free. Go to search.cac.gov.ng, type the business name exactly as it appears on the invoice or contract, and press Search. You need no account, no payment and no RC number. The result shows the registered name, RC or BN number, registration date and status.

The CAC has long urged the public to cross-check registrations on this portal at no cost (TheCable, 2023). Here is the step-by-step:

1. Open search.cac.gov.ng on your phone or laptop. Type the address yourself; never use a link someone sent you.

2. Enter the business name exactly as it appears on the document you were given, not a nickname or Instagram handle.

3. Press Search and scroll through the results. Many businesses share similar names, so read each full name carefully.

4. Open the matching result and note the RC number (companies) or BN number (business names), the registration date and the status.

5. Compare every detail with the certificate or invoice. The name, number and date must all match.

6. Save a screenshot or print the page to PDF as a record of your check (Legit.ng, 2026).

If you only have an RC or BN number, type that into the same search box. Searching by number is more precise, because names can be similar but each number points to one registration.

How to read your CAC search results

The result tells you more than "registered or not". Here is what each outcome means for you:

How fake CAC registrations are used in scams

Most scams that lean on CAC follow the same script:

1. The hook. A vendor, landlord's "agent", recruiter or investment platform reaches you on WhatsApp, Instagram, Jiji or Telegram.

2. The proof. When you hesitate, they send a CAC certificate, a company profile PDF or a photo of an office signboard.

3. The borrowed identity. The certificate may be forged, edited from a real company's document, or belong to a genuine firm the scammer has no link with.

4. The pressure. "Only two slots left." "Price goes up tomorrow." The goal is to make you pay before you check.

5. The disappearance. After payment, the number goes off and the page is deleted.

Step three is why a CAC search alone is not the end of your checks. A real company can still be impersonated.

Red flags: when to stop before you pay

Shine your eye if you notice any of these:

• The business refuses to share its RC or BN number, or gets defensive when you ask.

• The name on the certificate is slightly different from the name on the invoice or bank account.

• You are asked to pay into a personal account for a "company" transaction.

• The CAC search shows Inactive or Struck off, or returns nothing.

• The registration date is days old, but the seller claims years of experience.

• They send the certificate as an image but avoid a phone or video call.

• They push you to pay "before close of business today".

Before-you-pay checklist

☐ I searched the exact business name or RC/BN number on search.cac.gov.ng myself

☐ The name, number and registration date match the documents I was given

☐ The status shows Active

☐ The bank account name matches the registered company name

☐ I confirmed the person I am dealing with actually represents the company

☐ I started with a small payment or an inspection before paying in full

How to protect yourself beyond the free search

The free CAC search answers one question: does this business legally exist? It cannot tell you whether the person on WhatsApp works for that business, or whether the business has a history of complaints.

To close that gap:

• Call the company on a number you find yourself, from its official website or a past genuine receipt, not the number in the chat.

• Visit the registered address for large deals, or ask someone you trust in that city to check.

• Search the business and director names online with words like "scam" or "fraud".

• Use an independent verification service when the amount is significant. Profiled Nigeria's business and vendor verification checks registration, the people behind the business, the address and fraud signals in one report.

If you are buying fuel, diesel or other bulk supplies, our guide on fuel scams following Nigeria's price hike walks through supplier checks step by step. For students paying school or loan-related fees, read what Nigerian students must verify before paying.

What to do if you already paid a fake company

Act quickly. The first hours matter most.

1. Call your bank's fraud desk immediately and ask them to flag the receiving account and attempt a recall.

2. Keep every record: the certificate, chats, invoices, account numbers, phone numbers and screenshots of your CAC search.

3. Report to the EFCC and to the nearest police station.

4. Alert the CAC through its official channels on cac.gov.ng if someone is using a fake or borrowed registration number.

5. Warn others in your WhatsApp groups and report the seller's page on the platform where you found them.

Being scammed is not a sign of foolishness. These schemes are built to look legitimate. Reporting helps stop the same people from reaching the next victim.

FAQ

Is the CAC company search by name really free? Yes. The CAC public search at search.cac.gov.ng costs nothing and does not require an account. Anyone can type a business name or registration number and see whether it is on the register. Be wary of "agents" who charge you to run a basic search; it is a check you can do yourself in two minutes on your phone.

How do I check if a company is registered in Nigeria? Go to search.cac.gov.ng, enter the exact business name or its RC/BN number, and press Search. Open the matching result and compare the name, number, registration date and status with the documents you were given. Everything should match, and the status should show Active before you make any significant payment.

Can I search CAC without an RC number? Yes. You can search by name alone, but type it exactly as registered, not a trading name or social media handle. Because many businesses have similar names, check each result carefully. If you find a possible match, ask the business for its RC or BN number and search that too, since each number identifies one registration.

What does "inactive" mean on a CAC search? Inactive usually means the business has not filed its annual returns with the CAC. It does not automatically mean fraud, but it is a warning sign. Companies that stay non-compliant can be struck off the register, and a struck-off company generally needs a court order to be restored. Ask questions before paying.

If a company shows up on CAC, is it safe to pay? Not automatically. A CAC search proves the business exists, not that the person contacting you represents it. Scammers often borrow the names and certificates of real companies. Confirm the bank account name matches the company, contact the business through details you find yourself, and use an independent verification for large amounts.

Conclusion

A free CAC company search by name takes two minutes and can save you hundreds of thousands of naira. It confirms whether a business legally exists and whether it is still in good standing. But it is the first check, not the last, because scammers routinely borrow real companies' names and certificates.

That is where Profiled Nigeria comes in. Our business and vendor verification goes beyond the register to confirm the people, address and fraud signals behind a business. iAMProfiled helps you confirm that the person you are dealing with is who they claim to be, and DigiLock keeps you ahead of the scam patterns targeting Nigerians. No tool removes every risk, but layered checks make you a much harder target. Learn more about Profiled Nigeria and why digital trust in Nigeria cannot wait.

Registered is not the same as real. Check the register, then check the person.

Verify before you pay. Create your free Profiled account today.