Oduwole: World Bank’s $750m SEBER Programme Will Deepen Economic Reforms

James Emejo in Abuja
The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business/Secretary, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PBEC), Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has said the newly approved $750 million World Bank- assisted Sate Action on Business Enabling reforms (SABER) programme will for the first time, help to scale up the business environment reforms at the states’ level.

PEBEC was set up in July 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari, to remove bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria, and make the country a progressively easier place to start and grow a business.

Speaking at a media briefing, Oduwole said of the total sum, $20 million will be used for technical assistance to help the states deliver on critical reforms properly.
She said $730 million will be deployed facilitate reforms in four areas namely land registration, Certificate of Occupancy (C/O), timelines and digitisation.
She also revealed that the council planned to celebrate “our indefatigable entrepreneurs, and the MSMEs who have been working tirelessly to make a living through entrepreneurship across the country”.

The presidential aide said to this effect, PEBEC will be stage play titled, “The Future is Here” between October 1 and 2, 2022, to “celebrate the men and women who have delivered the reforms which we have been able to accomplish so far in the ease of doing business intervention.”
In achieving its mandate, the council had been interfacing with the agencies of government including ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to de-risk the business landscape.

Although the task is still ongoing, several reforms have been successfully implemented, thereby making the business environment less risky for investors.
The assignment has also been extended to the states where there are lots of impediments to friendly business environment especially in the areas of multiple taxation.

However, Oduwole said the council seeks to specially recognise public and civil servant who have helped to facilitate the economic reforms so far realised.
To this end, she said the annual PEBEC awards to honour the titans of reforms would be held on December 1. 
She also disclosed that the second edition of the Ease of Doing Business Report for Nigeria would be made public thereafter.
“The report covers the entire country; what private sector are saying about the entire country and that report is going to be used to create state action plan. We were trying to digitise the economy and you know what good data does for all of us, ”she added.