The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and Lagos State Government say they’re deepening efforts at creating a conducive business environment to further grow the economy.
They gave the commitment at the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Technical Session and Statewide Town Hall Meeting organised by PEBEC in Lagos on Tuesday.
Speaking at event, Folashade Bada-Ambrose, Lagos Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, said the state was committed to institutionalising reforms that drive economic prosperity.
Ambrose noted that Lagos has embraced the SABER framework as a transformative vehicle for governance reform, private sector engagement, and economic inclusion.
“Reforms must be constructed upon policy clarity, infrastructure readiness, regulatory transparency, and above all, unwavering public-private cooperation. SABER, spearheaded by PEBEC in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Debt Management Office, and the World Bank, offers a strategic framework to standardise and localise ease of doing business reforms across all subnational governments because reform must be context-sensitive.
It must reach the woman selling textiles in Balogun, the baker in Ikorodu navigating multiple levies, the startup founder in Yaba building blockchain-based health solutions, the farmer in Epe exporting processed palm oil, and the young cooperative society in Ijede seeking access to patient capital.” she said
According to her, Lagos’ response to SABER has been robust, ambitious, and fully aligned with the State’s long-term strategic plans such as the ongoing development of Lagos State Industrial Policy (LSIP 2025–2030), the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Development Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, and the Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) 2052.
Zahrah Mustapha Audu, the director- general, said the partnership between the agency and Lagos State would enable the government and stakeholders to adapt, enhance and strengthen the regulatory environment, particularly through the SABER programme.
She said “The goal of PEBEC is to work with the States and ensure all hands are on deck to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to foster a conducive business environment that drives more innovation and growth.
The over-riding goal is trade facilitation and the Federal Government is doing a lot like reducing custom inspection of goods to one day and addressing multiple taxation, levies and fees among others.
