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… as Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council opens in Kano
Federal Government has expressed its readiness to diversify and restructure the nation ailing economy, as it is certain that the downward trend in global oil price will not end soon.
Government is said to have resolved to use the opportunity the crisis offers to re-engineer the economy towards structural change and sustainable growth and development.
Jumoke Oduwole, senior special assistant to the President on industry, trade and investment, made this disclosure in her welcome remarks at a the opening of a day summit of the ‘Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council’, which opened in Kano, yesterday.
Oduwole said the presidential initiative floated by the Buhari administration was one of the practical measure put in place to scale up the Global Ranking of Doing Business.
According to Oduwole, the reforms being implemented by the 10-man presidential Enabling Business Environment Council are gradually making the country a friendlier place to do business.
“Our vision is a dramatic improvement in Nigeria `s business environment over the next three years to a top 100 ranking in the World Bank Doing Business Report, with increased cross-border trading, increased productivity across key economic sectors and an improved business environment that is attractive to both domestic and foreign investors.
“It is in furtherance of this vision that President Muhammadu Buhari `s initiative on improving Nigeria `s business and investment environment- the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) was inaugurated in July 2016.
“The Public /Private Sector team commenced work immediately and the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) became fully functional in October 2016. The PEBEC is chaired by His Excellency the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who leads the reforms project that will help Nigeria achieve our aspiration,” she said.
Commenting on the efforts made so far, she stated that the Council had implemented three priority areas including-entry/exit of people; entry/exit of goods, and government transparency on MDA websites and in the procurement process; with the aim of making Nigeria a progressively earlier place to do business in particularly for SMEs.
“For example, with entry and exit of goods, the processes for exporting goods are being streamlined and the National Single Window will be implemented this year to reduce the number of agencies at the ports.
“In entry and exit of persons-the visa on arrival process is operational with all requirements on the Nigerian Immigrations Service website. We are currently reviewing our visa grant electronic visas and visa on arrival eligibility to many more countries in Africa and beyond which will be announced shortly.
“The airport experience is being worked on by FAAN –issues regarding processes, infrastructure, maintenance and
signage are being addressed in government transparency, ministries, departments and agency (MDA websites are updated with clear description of MDAs services, clear fees, processes and timelines for obtaining each MDAs services,” she said.
