Ime Akpan
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has commenced the fourth 60-day National Action Plan (NAP 4.0) on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).
The minister for industry, trade and investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah said in a statement that the 60-day action plan “is in line with the commitment to deliver reforms aimed at improving the enabling environment for doing business in Nigeria through systemic interventions.”
He added: “The NAP 4.0 has been launched to deepen the reforms delivered and drive institutionalization.
“We have highlighted key action items in each of the focus areas to ensure the reforms delivered do not unravel, and to ensure we drive sustainability.
Enelama said NAP 4.0, which runs from March 1 to April 29, 2019 aims to further reduce the challenges encountered by SMEs and businesses in identified areas of focus such as starting a business, getting credit, paying taxes, enforcing contracts or trading within and across borders, amongst others, by eliminating critical bottlenecks and constraints to doing business in Nigeria.
Working in collaboration with ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), Enelama also said the fourth NAP “is anticipated to strengthen the ongoing reforms, and improve the EoDB frameworks adopted.”
He enumerated some of the targets achieved in NAP 3.0 to include driving registration for utilization of the national collateral registry to facilitate access to credit for SMEs, clearance of all pending National Agency for drugs Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration applications to improve efficiency as well as creation of a strengthened single joint cargo examination interface in all airports and seaports for import and export to reduce the time spent at the ports.
Commenting the commencement of the programme, the PEBEC secretary and senior special assistant to the president on industry, trade and investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said: “The council will continue to work extensively with all MDAs, the national assembly and various arms of government on various reforms critical to an enabling business environment. For the NAP 4.0, these include targets such as enforcing compliance with SLAs across all focus areas, driving the passage of the CAM Bill 2018 for improved effectiveness of company law in Nigeria, enhancing efficiency in the small claims court, and enhancing the application and approval system for visas on arrival, to mention a few.”
“We will also engage public and private sector stakeholders, and intensify efforts to communicate the reforms to ensure the benefits are realised.
“We have already started a number of communication initiatives, including setting up a website for access to all information on all reforms.”
