FG targets improving ease of doing business ranking by 45 places

Jumoke Oduwole, senior special assistant to the president on industry, trade and investment, says Nigeria “must achieve its goal of attaining the top 100 by 2020” in the ease of doing business ranking.

Oduwole is also the secretary of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

Speaking after the presentation of the 2018 Making Business Work Report of PEBEC on Monday, Oduwole said to achieve that goal, the country needs to move up 45 places in the World Bank ease of doing business index over the next two years.

Nigeria is ranked 145 among 190 economies, according to the latest World Bank annual rating.

Oduwole said PEBEC had initiated industry-wide reforms in order to “ensure even better public service delivery and an improved business environment for micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs).

“Nigeria must improve its ranking by 45 places in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index over the next two years to achieve its goal of attaining the top 100 by 2020.

“Such an ambitious goal requires accelerated and focused execution of Government Executive Order and National Action Plans (NAP).

“It is clear that Nigeria must now intensify its reform efforts; and the PEBEC will continue to work closely with the public and private sectors to institutionalise its reforms, cascade them to state level, and refine and improve the business environment.

“In the second half of 2018 and into 2019, the PEBEC will focus primarily on regulators, an Omnibus Bill on business facilitation, and consolidating gains for the economy through the deepening of the subnational Ease of Doing Business project”.

The PEBEC secretary noted that Nigeria is “bouncing back from significant macroeconomic distress” and setting an example for other African countries to emulate.

She said PEBEC is building the capacity of the ministries, departments and agencies to foster cooperation between them and states, the national assembly and private sector.