Federal Government Puxshes Business Reforms as PEBEC Holds Technical Session in Oyo
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), in collaboration with the Oyo State Government, convened a high-level technical session in Ibadan to deepen reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
The meeting took place on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Western Hall of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The engagement forms part of a nationwide sensitization and technical support initiative by PEBEC across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This initiative, a key pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reform agenda, aims to simplify business procedures, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, and improve Nigeria’s investment climate.
The Ibadan session was jointly organized with the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER), Oyo State’s local platform for implementing PEBEC-driven policies. It brought together public and private sector stakeholders including representatives from ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), as well as entrepreneurs, investors, and development partners.
Professor Babatunde Musibau, the Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning in Oyo State, delivered the opening address. He emphasized the importance of businesses understanding their operational environment and aligning with ongoing reforms. “We need to streamline our processes and support small and medium-scale enterprises to adopt strategic reforms that will foster growth,” he stated.
Leading the PEBEC team was Hajia Hussaina Abdulkadir, a senior reform leader and key resource person. She welcomed participants and reiterated the Council’s commitment to helping states institutionalize best practices in business regulation. Abdulkadir stressed the importance of eliminating bureaucratic delays in business registration and land administration to make Nigeria more attractive for local and foreign investors.
She highlighted the objectives of the SABER initiative in Oyo State, noting that it focuses on improving business-related infrastructure and fostering sustainability for large-scale investments. She further emphasized that stakeholder engagement is central to identifying and resolving the unique challenges that businesses face in each state.
Addressing the session, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. T.J. Ayanleke, provided an overview of Oyo State’s economic development trajectory. He stated that Ibadan is currently ranked as the second fastest-growing city in Africa, according to a 2002 report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
Mr. Ayanleke shared that Oyo State is ranked third in West Africa in the tech startup index, a testament to its emerging status as a tech and innovation hub. He identified the key economic sectors prioritized by the state: Agriculture, Solid Minerals, Trade and Commerce, Energy, Real Estate, and Tourism.
He further pointed out that the state enjoys unique advantages such as proximity to world-class research institutions (University of Ibadan, NISER, IITA), natural tourist attractions, extensive solid mineral deposits, and modern transport infrastructure like the standard gauge rail connection to Lagos seaport. With 28,484.5 square kilometers of arable land, Oyo also boasts vast agricultural potential.
The Permanent Secretary proudly announced that the state had moved up in Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, climbing from 27th to 17th place. He attributed this improvement to targeted reforms, including enhanced peace and security, simplified tax procedures, improved business registration processes, and major investments in infrastructure.
Mr. Ayanleke concluded by reaffirming the state’s commitment to sustaining reforms and attracting both domestic and foreign investment. “Our mission is clear—build a business-friendly environment that empowers entrepreneurs and encourages innovation,” he said.
In a show of federal support, Mrs. Saratu Adamu, another PEBEC official, gave the closing remarks. She reassured stakeholders of the federal government’s ongoing technical assistance to support states in achieving their year-three deliverables under the SABER framework.
She also encouraged active collaboration between MDAs and private sector players to sustain momentum and deliver measurable results in improving Nigeria’s business environment.
The session ended on a high note, with participants expressing optimism that the continued collaboration between the federal and state governments would unlock economic opportunities and attract sustainable investments to Oyo State and the nation at large.
This Ibadan engagement stands as a testament to the renewed push by the Tinubu administration to foster inclusive economic growth through policy reforms and stakeholder-driven solutions.
The Federal Government, through PEBEC, has reaffirmed its determination to make Nigeria one of the most attractive investment destinations in Africa by addressing long-standing systemic challenges.
As more states benefit from the technical sessions, it is expected that Nigeria will witness a significant shift toward a more business-friendly climate—one that rewards innovation, supports enterprise, and promotes sustainable development.
Temitope Oyewole
Federal Information Centre, Ibadan