The National Economic Council, NEC, has thrown its weight behind the second iteration of the sub-national Ease of Doing Business Report, which is to be launched in the second quarter of 2022.
The Council’s support for the report is in line with its resolve to consolidate the gains of the previous sub-national surveys on Nigeria’s business climate
This was among other discussions during the 122nd physical meeting of the Council, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The meeting had in attendance state governors, the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Bello and the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, and the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, among others.
The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, who made a presentation to the Council on the Sub-national Doing Business Project and State Action on Business Enabling Reform (SABER) Programme, noted that the second iteration of the Sub-national Ease of Doing Business Report would deepen the scope of the reforms based on what private sector is saying about the business climate in Nigeria.
According to Oduwole, the initial criteria (framework) focused on security and infrastructure, transparency and access to information, the regulatory environment, and skills and workforce readiness.
She explained that the second edition would include economic opportunity, and level of digitization, just to deepen the scope based on private-sector ideas regarding improving the business climate in Nigeria.
Oduwole also briefed the media after the meeting of the Council, stating that the governors challenged the “methodology and parameters for the survey.”
She added: “What everybody has agreed is important is what the private sector say about the business climate in Nigeria and how we can all deliver a better and more conducive business environment for this one economy.
“All businesses are domiciled in a state and so it behooves all of us, the state governments, the federal government and indeed the local governments as well to make sure we have a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, ” Oduwole stated.
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