NCDMB, SON, Others Lead in PEBEC’s Half-year Executive Order Compliance Report

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has unveiled its 2023 Half-year Executive Order 001 (EO1) Compliance Report with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) securing the top three positions.

PEBEC emphasised that the Executive Order 001 (EO1) has been officially incorporated into the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of 2022.

The Compliance Report was unveiled during a stakeholders’ awareness session involving Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the President on PEBEC and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, emphasised PEBEC’s ongoing commitment to monitoring compliance with the Executive Order, saying it was aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in Nigeria’s business environment.

She said, “Over the past six years, PEBEC has consistently published EO1 Compliance Reports, providing a data-driven analysis of monthly reports from MDAs.

“An MDA’s EO1 performance score is determined by Efficiency and Transparency measures, with a 70 per cent to 30 per cent ratio, respectively.

“Efficiency evaluates adherence to service delivery timelines and EO1 directives, while Transparency assesses aspects such as website updates, online service portals, detailed service information, timelines, costs, statutory requirements, and customer service contacts.

“This latest EO1 Compliance Report spans from January 2023 to June 2023.

“The top five performing MDAs during this period are the NCDMB with an impressive 83.06 per cent, followed by SON at 82.85 per cent and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) ranking third with 69.85 per cent.”

Oduwole urged MDAs to use the report’s findings as a foundation for enhancing transparency and efficiency in public service delivery, thereby improving Nigeria’s business environment.

Established in July 2016 by the federal government, the PEBEC has a dual mandate of removing bureaucratic and legislative obstacles to doing business and enhancing the perception of the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Oduwole, mentioned that the Council was chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The Desk Officer for Service Delivery Compliance for the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, Amadi Ikpe, commended PEBEC’s interventions, emphasising that they have significantly improved trade facilitation.

He pointed out that PEBEC introduced a structure that addressed challenges of trade facilitation without the need for direct involvement.

“This structured approach helped in preventing rent-seeking behaviors without extensive policing.

Data analytics played a pivotal role in making trade facilitation smoother and more efficient, and the results are evident in the numbers.

“PEBEC’s reporting system has been crucial in gathering information and enhancing the processes and standards of agencies providing border services.”