Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that Nigeria is firmly on course to achieving a world-class business environment, crediting recent gains to inter-agency collaboration across government institutions.
Speaking at the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Awards and Gala Night on Tuesday in Abuja, Shettima said the Administration’s reform drive is anchored on a culture of excellence, transparency, and efficiency, principles he described as the new standard for public service delivery.
He noted that excellence in governance is cultivated, not inherited, adding that Nigeria’s public institutions are proving that coordinated action can break long-standing bureaucratic bottlenecks.
The vice president highlighted key reforms, particularly the work of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee, which successfully implemented joint inspections at the nation’s ports for the first time in decades.
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According to Shettima, this synergy among port agencies has set the stage for the Federal Government’s bold target of reducing cargo dwell time from 21 days to just seven days by 2026.
“When institutions see themselves not as isolated kingdoms, but as partners in progress, the results are transformational.
“This inter-agency collaboration and the courage of institutions willing to break down longstanding barriers have produced a bold target, reducing the cargo dwell time at our ports from an average of 21 days to just seven days in 2026,” he said.
He commended agencies for embracing digitisation and fast-tracking processes critical to business operations.
The Vice President also applauded improvements recorded under the Business Facilitation Act (BFA), which has strengthened service delivery timelines across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
At the sub-national level, he highlighted significant progress under the $750 million State Action for Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Programme, which has helped deepen transparency, enhance regulatory processes, and provide real-time feedback through the revitalised ReportGov platform.
“At the federal level, MDAs recorded significant improvements in service delivery timelines, transparency, and digital adoption, as evidenced in the Business Policy Facilitation Act performance report released today.
“At the state level, our business environment reforms have achieved remarkable traction through the $750 million SET Action for Business Enabling Reform SABER program,” he added.
Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, Director-General, PEBEC in her remarks, said the evening celebrated the courage to reform and the discipline to deliver, she noted that Nigeria’s reform agenda is driven by data, accountability, and a relentless push for predictability in regulatory processes.
She highlighted the rollout of the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework, which introduces evidence-based regulation and promises a major reduction in compliance costs for businesses.
Other key gains include the NAQS collaboration for free trade zone integrity, the restoration of FRSC driver’s licence services, and the new automated biometric system offering approval within 24–48 hours.
Audu added that PEBEC’s nationwide engagement with 3,500 stakeholders across 35 states is helping ensure that reforms are felt from Kano to Lagos and across the grassroots, reinforcing the message that accountability must be accessible.
Shettima reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to sustaining the reform momentum, saying the awardees represent the quiet architects of a more competitive Nigeria.
“The end of this night does not signal the end of your pursuit of excellence. Excellence is a culture, not an event. And so, in the new year, let us do even more to advance the reform agenda for Nigeria’s business environment,” she said.
The gala night honoured top-performing agencies, reform champions, and partners from the private sector, civil society, and the international community, including the European Union, for their role in strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness and investment climate.
The top five performing MDAs in Nigeria for January to October 2025 are: 1st is the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) with 90.6%, followed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at 89.3%, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at 86.6%, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at 85.3%, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) at 84.2%.
Lagos is ranked number 1 in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council’s (PEBEC) latest state rankings with a score of 85.6%, followed by Kaduna in number 2 with 65.1% and Oyo at number 3 with 62.7%.
The rankings assess states based on multiple indicators and are intended to improve the business environment in Nigeria.
