National Economic Council (NEC) rose from its first meeting for the year, firmly supporting the second iteration of the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report which is to be launched in the second quarter of 2022.
NEC is determined to consolidate the gains of the previous subnational surveys on Nigeria’s business climate.
This was among other discussions during the 122nd physical meeting of the Council, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The meeting also had in attendance, State Governors, the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Bello and the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, and the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, among others.
The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, who made a presentation to Council on the Subnational Doing Business Project and State Action on Business Enabling Reform (SABER) Programme noted that the second iteration of the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report will deepen the scope of the reforms based on what private sector is saying about the business climate in Nigeria.
According to Oduwole, the initial criteria (framework) focused on security and infrastructure, transparency and access to information, the regulatory environment, and skills and workforce readiness.
She explained that the second edition will include economic opportunity, and level of digitization, just to deepen the scope based on private-sector ideas regarding improving the business climate in Nigeria.
Council also received an update presentation on the State Performance Report on Disease Outbreaks in Nigeria by the Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Ifedayo Adetifa.
Council was informed that as of 19th January 2022, a total of 251,341 cases were tested while 23,939 active cases were recorded and 224,939 discharged.
There was also an update report on the outbreak of Lassa Fever with reported increasing number of cases from Bauchi, Oyo, with recorded fatalities in Nasarawa(2) and Benue(1) States in the last 7 weeks.
States were urged to improve enforcement of proper environmental sanitation; activation of Lassa Fever testing laboratories; sustain funding for Lassa Fever response; provision of local sample transportation framework, and equip treatment centres to manage complicated cases.
