Follow Us on Google
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged all tiers of government, federal agencies, the private sector, and stakeholders to intensify their commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s business environment.
Speaking at the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Gala and Awards Night on Tuesday, Shettima stressed the power of collaboration in delivering successful reforms across the country.
Describing this year’s achievements as “the triumph of collaboration over silos,” the Vice President highlighted that progress happens when all 36 states, government agencies, development partners, and sectors work together. “When the 36 states of the federation, MDAs, development partners and other critical sectors commit to working together across the board, it becomes a big win for Nigeria,” he said.
Shettima urged continued dedication beyond the event, saying, “The end of this night does not signal the end of your pursuit of excellence because excellence is a culture, not an event. It lives only where it is nurtured. And so, in the new year, let us do even more to advance the reform agenda for Nigeria’s business environment.”
He added, “Let us build a nation where efficiency is normal, where transparency is routine, and where excellence is the governing creed of public service.”
Highlighting the importance of teamwork, the Vice President said, “Excellence is cultivated – the result of choices, of discipline, of a refusal to settle for the bare minimum,” and emphasized that it must be actively pursued rather than expected to appear by chance.
The Gala and Awards Night was intended to recognize exceptional public service and commitment to reform. “This event honours the belief that public service can and must be synonymous with excellence,” Shettima explained.
He reminded stakeholders of the critical role they play in advancing President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms. “His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has laid the critical foundation for the reforms required to reset our economy, and the success of this depends on the awardees we celebrate tonight,” he said. “Your dedication and excellence embody the spirit of this administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. You represent the very best of our public sector, and your work is the foundation upon which our nation’s prosperity is built.”
The Vice President pointed to practical examples of reform success, such as the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC), which has improved port operations through joint inspections, delivering tangible results.
Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Ibrahim Hadejia, acknowledged PEBEC’s ongoing reforms under Shettima’s leadership, highlighting incremental improvements across sectors but stressed that “the task of transforming Nigeria’s business environment is far from over.”
He highlighted measurable progress through interagency collaboration, noting, “These efforts have yielded “faster turnaround times for businesses, improved investor confidence, and a more predictable environment for economic activity”.
Hadejia praised awardees for proving “Nigeria has the talent, the capacity, and the will to reform, when we choose to work together,” but stressed the work ahead: “Every improvement we celebrate tonight is a foundation upon which we must build” into 2026, with commitments to deepen cooperation, digital transformation, and transparency.
“The Vice President has been unwavering in his directive that reforms must move from policy to practice, from paper to people,” he added. “Let tonight inspire us. Let it remind us that reform is possible and let it strengthen our resolve to build the Nigeria we all know is within reach”.
Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Audu, detailed the agency’s achievements in collaboration with government agencies over the past year and emphasized that reform remains central to PEBEC’s mission.
She underscored Nigeria’s commitment to bold and collaborative reforms aimed at creating a world-class business climate.
She clarified that the event “is not merely an awards ceremony; it is a powerful affirmation of possibility, honoring the champions who have moved beyond compliance, embracing excellence as the new standard for public service delivery.”
Other News
Highlighting the strategic leadership guiding these initiatives, Audu praised President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for their “intentionality, accountability, and the strategic deployment of data” that anchor the reform efforts. “We understand that to fix the operational environment for businesses, we must first fix the governance frameworks that underpin it,” she noted.
Audu detailed key milestones, beginning with the launch of the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework in January 2025.
She explained, “The Regulatory Impact Analysis Framework introduces an evidence-based, data-driven method to assess regulations before they are issued,” emphasising that countries adopting such frameworks often boost economic growth by up to 2.3% annually and reduce regulatory compliance costs by as much as 30%.
She described April’s historic PEBEC Retreat, where 69 business-facing ministries, departments, and agencies converged to align reform strategies using mystery-shopping data and service delivery benchmarks. This gathering birthed groundbreaking MoUs such as the SON-NAFDAC agreement, which “introduced mutual recognition of tests and approvals, drastically reducing compliance costs and shortening product-to-market timelines for manufacturers and MSMEs.” Another MoU between NAQS and NEPZA closed essential regulatory gaps in Free Trade Zones, enhancing biosecurity and trade efficiency.
Audu also highlighted the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC) established in April, which has already “significantly reduced cargo dwell time through joint inspections,” improving logistics at Nigerian ports.
Citing specific service delivery successes, she praised the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for clearing a backlog of over 249,000 driver’s licenses and launching a “Contactless Biometric Capture System” enabling issuance within 48 hours—a “decisive shift from bureaucratic delay to a culture of reliable service.”
this yearThe DG also spotlighted the e-Visa process introduced in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, delivering approvals in 24 to 48 hours, which “signals to the world that Nigeria values the time and transparency investors demand.”
On the inclusive nature of reforms, Audu stressed, “This is a story of ‘One Government,’ extending from the federal level to the states and the grassroots.” She cited PEBEC’s nationwide tour engaging over 3,500 stakeholders across 35 states and the FCT and the $750 million State Action for Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) program supporting state-level improvements.
Audu stressed accountability mechanisms with the relaunch of the ReportGov platform, Nigeria’s grievance redress system. “Within the first three months of the relaunch, we have seen a 30% increase in resolved grievances,” she said, describing how QR codes at airports enable citizens to report and track issues in real time.
On the international stage, PEBEC has boosted Nigeria’s reform narrative, Audu noted, referencing sessions at UN General Assembly 80, COP30, and conferences in Indonesia. “At the COP30 side event, we connected PEBEC’s core mandate to climate action, underscoring that green technology and renewable solutions can only scale when supported by predictable, business-friendly policies.”
Concluding, Audu reaffirmed PEBEC’s vision: “To make Nigeria one of the most attractive and competitive destinations for businesses in the world.” She extended gratitude to President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, state governors, MDAs, private sector partners, and international supporters like the European Union for strengthening regulatory compliance and service efficiency.
The event also featured the unveiling of the 2025 Business Facilitation Act Compliance Report and the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report, alongside awards in categories like access to justice, legislative innovation, leadership, business advocacy, and partnerships.
Notable attendees included Benue State Deputy Governor Dr. Sam Ode, Enugu State Deputy Governor Mr. Ifeanyi Ossai, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, Nigerian Shippers Council Executive Secretary Pius Akutah, NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida, Nigerian Ports Authority Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, and various dignitaries from government, diplomatic circles, and industry.
