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Overview

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) is at the forefront of driving significant reforms to enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria. Established to streamline bureaucratic processes and create a more friendly business environment.

Through ongoing efforts, a series of targeted reforms and strategic interventions, PEBEC initiatives are designed to simplify procedures, reduce bottlenecks, and create a more conducive atmosphere for businesses to start and grow in Nigeria.
As part of its mandate, PEBEC focuses on optimizing regulatory frameworks, improving institutional coordination, and implementing policies that facilitate smoother business operations.

By staying dedicated to the objectives, PEBEC strives to create an environment where businesses can thrive, fostering economic development and job creation across the nation.

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) was set up in July 2016 to To deliver Nigeria’s business environment reform, with the dual mandate to remove bureaucratic and legislative constraints to doing business and to improve the perception about the ease of doing business in Nigeria

Members

Chair, His Excellency, the Vice President
Secretary to the Government of the Federation
Head of Civil Service of the Federation
17 Honourable Ministers
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
National Assembly representative
Judiciary representative
State Governments representative
Special Adviser to the President on PEBEC & Investment

PEBEC Secretariat

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Secretariat, implements the reform agenda of PEBEC

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) was established in July 2016 by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, with a dual mandate to make Nigeria a progressively easier place to do business by removing bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria, as well as improving the perception of investors and stakeholders about the Nigerian business terrain.

How PEBEC works

PEBEC’s model aligns with global best practices and includes a strong performance tracking element that ensures MDAs are accountable for reform implementation.

Our Milestones

We have established a track-record of innovation and growth.

32 Nigerian states implemented 43 reforms that led to improvements in their ease of doing business environment led by Kaduna, Enugu, Abia, Lagos and Anambra States.

Nigeria recorded improvements in 3 out of 4 enabling environments of the 2018 Global Competitiveness Report released by the World Economic Forum. Also, an independent EoDB survey conducted in 2018 adjudged Nigeria’s reforms as impactful in terms of reduction in time, cost, and procedures of doing business.

Nigeria was named one of top 10 most improved economies in the world for the 2nd time in 3 years

Nigeria moved up 39 places on the Doing Business Index since 2016

PEBEC Members #3 Cohort

His Excellency Kashim Shettima

The Vice President of Nigeria
Chair, PEBEC

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole

PEBEC Executive Secretary

Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite

Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Vice-Chair, PEBEC

The Reform Agenda

RESOLVING INSOLVENCY

Companies unable to pay its debts now have business rescue alternatives such as a Company Voluntary Arrangement and Administration as opposed to winding up the business
A company’s debt would need to be at least N200,000 (no longer N2,000) for a winding-up petition to be made against a company

PROTECTING MINORITY INVESTORS

Restriction of the appointment of the same person as CEO and Chairman of a private company
Full disclosure (with specifics) of conflict of interests and all facts in buyer-seller transactions
The board of directors of a private company must comprise of at least three independent directors

ENFORCING CONTRACTS

Small Claims Courts established in Lagos and Kano for cost-effective and fast resolution of debt recovery disputes involving small claims of up to N5,000,000

REGISTERING PROPERTY – KANO

Issuance of Governor’s Consent delegated to the Honourable Attorney General of Kano State to reduce time of approval to 7 days from 30 days
All required payments can be made online at the KSBLM website
Land disputes are now handled by an independent body as required by international best practice

REGISTERING PROPERTY – LAGOS

E-Platform available for payment of relevant fees when registering a property
Demand notices for registration fees, consent fees, neighborhood improvement charges now sent to applicants via email
The Lands Bureau and the OSSG process and track client files based on a single unique file identification number

GETTING ELECTRICITY

The time required to connect new customers has dropped to 30 days from 176 days
Application for connection to the electricity grid can be done online
Procedures required to connect new customers has reduced from 9 to 5 steps

PAYING TAXES

Filing and payment of federal taxes online available online; E-platform accessible to all classes of taxpayers
A simplified single schedule for each tax type now available on the e-filing platform
Corporate income tax (CIT) audits can be done within 63 days.

DEALING WITH CONSTRUCTION PERMITS – KANO

Water connections obtainable within 7 days
Physical inspection before issuance of Certificate of habitation cancelled
Online application and payment process for construction permits and building plans
Building plan approvals obtainable within 14 days

DEALING WITH CONSTRUCTION PERMITS – LAGOS

Removal of the Infrastructure Development Charge (IDC) for 2-floor warehouse construction permits applications
Certified true copy (CTC) of title documents in the construction permit application process no longer required
Soil Investigation Report in construction permit applications not required for non-marshy areas of Lagos State

GETTING CREDIT

Creation of National Collateral Registry (NCR) to support the use of movable assets as collaterals for loan
Legal right of borrowers to access credit reports from the Credit Bureaus
Credit scores can be used by individuals to secure credit/loans to make various purchases

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS

Reduced number of import and export documents required
Implementation of 24/7 operations of Apapa port in Lagos and reduced number of agencies at the ports
All government official rates are available on the respective agency’s website for transparency

ENTRY & EXIT OF PEOPLE

Simplified visa-on-arrival process; application done online and issued within 48hrs
Elimination of the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) stickers, eliminating additional checks while travelling domestic routes
Agency activities at the airport combined into one passenger interface.

Starting a business

Reserve and register a business within 24 hours on the E- Platform
Tax Identification Number (TIN) for Tax Payments automatically generated
Simplified Company Incorporation Form (CAC 1.1)
Registration fees payable online through the Company Registration Portal (CRP)