The Nigerian Presidential Council PEBEC has released a comprehensive ranking of states based on their 'Ease of Doing Business' metrics, shedding light on the country's business environment and the challenges faced by investors and entrepreneurs. The report highlights a stark contrast between Lagos, which leads the pack with an impressive 85.6% performance score, and other states like Kaduna, which trails with a score of 65.1%. This disparity underscores the importance of regulatory efficiency and investor confidence, which are crucial for economic growth and development.
The top 10 states, including Enugu, Plateau, Ekiti, Kano, and Nasarawa, have made significant strides in improving their business environment, but they still have room for improvement. The report emphasizes the need for states to transition from policy rhetoric to actual implementation, particularly under the $750 million State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) program. However, it also warns that most states still lack essential infrastructure and support systems, such as credible investor aftercare, predictable trade frameworks, stable power supply, and effective MSME financing channels.
To address these gaps, PEBEC has identified five urgent reforms that governors must prioritize. These reforms include overhauling commercial justice processes, stabilizing power for industrial and SME clusters, building functional post-investment support mechanisms, harmonizing interstate taxation and trade rules, and eliminating logistics bottlenecks affecting goods movement across state borders. By implementing these reforms, Nigeria can attract productive capital and foster a more conducive business environment.
PEBEC, established in 2016 and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, views the report as a critical tool for policy action, investment decisions, and long-term competitiveness. It serves as a reform compliance audit, determining state eligibility for federal incentives, global investment engagement, and future development financing allocations. The council's verdict is clear: while Lagos continues to set the benchmark for business reforms, other states must address bureaucratic bottlenecks, ad hoc taxation practices, and inconsistent regulatory environments to attract investment and promote economic growth.
