The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), has called on state governments to deepen business-enabling reforms and adopt strategic communication to attract investment, create jobs and stimulate economic growth across Nigeria.
The Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu made the call while delivering a virtual address at the 2026 Nationwide Subnational Engagement and Technical Reform Workshop held in Katsina.
She urged states to identify sectors where they have a competitive advantage, remove barriers to investment and consistently promote their investment opportunities, reform achievements, infrastructure and business-friendly policies to local and international investors.
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According to Audu, states must move from reactive to strategic communication by deliberately shaping their economic narratives to enhance investor confidence and competitiveness.
Speaking at the workshop, Katsina State Deputy Governor, Faruk Lawal, said the state had implemented wide-ranging reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business and positioning Katsina as a preferred investment destination.
He said the reforms include investment facilitation, automation of land administration, digitalisation of land records, implementation of the Responsible and Inclusive Land-intensive Agricultural Investment (RILA) framework, as well as modernisation of tax administration through digital platforms.
Lawal added that the state had also strengthened public-private partnerships, facilitated interstate trade, improved public financial management, and introduced reforms in the water and electricity sectors to support sustainable private-sector growth.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Katsina State Investment Promotion Agency (KIPA), Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi, described the workshop as a platform for constructive engagement between government and the private sector to identify challenges and develop practical solutions for improving the state’s investment climate.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to sustaining reforms that encourage enterprise, simplify business procedures and enhance the quality of public service delivery.
