Abuja: The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) is advancing efforts to integrate digital platforms across various government agencies, aiming to eliminate redundancy and simplify regulatory processes for businesses. The Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Audu, shared this development during a briefing with newsmen in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Audu highlighted that while many agencies have digitised their services, businesses are still required to submit identical information repeatedly to different government institutions. To address this, PEBEC is collaborating with relevant government bodies responsible for digital integration to create a unified system that facilitates information sharing across institutions.
“Many MDAs have digitalised their services, but they are digitalising in silos. Businesses still provide the same information to multiple agencies,” Audu stated. The council is working towards an integrated system where businesses can submit informati
on once, allowing authorised agencies to access it, thereby reducing duplication and improving efficiency. This initiative is part of PEBEC’s broader strategy to enhance Nigeria’s business environment and improve investors’ experience.
Audu further explained that the council aims to ensure businesses spend less time complying with regulations and more time on productive activities. PEBEC has also intensified its engagement with state governments through its Subnational Ease of Doing Business Tour to encourage reforms at the state level. The council has visited most states to strengthen subnational ease of doing business councils and promote the adoption of best regulatory practices.
She mentioned that PEBEC is supporting states through the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Programme, implemented in partnership with the World Bank. The programme offers performance-based financing to states implementing agreed business environment reforms.
On policy consistency, Audu noted that PEBEC has stre
ngthened the implementation of the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework to ensure government agencies consult stakeholders before introducing new regulations. Agencies are now required to assess the costs and benefits of proposed policies and engage affected stakeholders before implementation.
Audu cited the transition from the Visa-on-Arrival system to the electronic visa (e-Visa) platform as an example of resolving concerns raised over proposed policy changes through dialogue. She defended ongoing economic reforms, such as exchange rate liberalisation and tax reforms, stating they improve policy predictability and create a more stable environment for businesses. “Businesses value consistency and the ability to plan more than artificial market distortions,” she added.
Audu expressed optimism that continued collaboration among federal and state institutions would further improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business ranking and strengthen investor confidence. She noted that the council would continue to mo
nitor reforms ahead of the release of the 2026 Business Facilitation Act Compliance Report in November.