By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A report that evaluates the impact of major business environment reforms of the state governments would be unveiled on Thursday, November 25, 2021, by the African Heritage Institution (AfriHeritage).
The report, Business Environment and Competitiveness across Nigerian States (BECANS), is a flagship of AfriHeritage and is being put together to drive economic growth and inclusive development in the country.
The key objective is to produce updated business environment and competitiveness reports for each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT.
It supplies to the governments, local and foreign investors, private sector and civil society organisations, and development partners relevant and updated data and statistics for their possible use in planning, monitoring, or evaluating the impact of the business environment and competitiveness reforms at the state level across Nigeria.
A statement from AfriHeritage disclosed that the unveiling would be hybrid with in-person at the Hotel Sunshine, Presidential Road, Enugu and virtual attendance. The event is themed Nigerian Business Environment: Transformation for Investments, Economic Growth and Inclusive Development.
Since its inception in 2006, BECANS has been very instrumental in fostering major business environment reforms by state governments aimed at facilitating enabling investment climates, attracting investments, and promoting robust business activities in Nigeria.
It covers four pillars (benchmarks) and 112 indicators of state-level business environment conditions for private sector competitiveness in Nigeria. The benchmarks are infrastructure and utilities; regulatory services; business support and investment promotion; and security
As a public-private partnership initiative, BECANS collaborators include many organs of government, members of the organized private sector, and external aid agencies and organizations such as Ministry of Budget & National Planning (MBNP); International Development Research Centre (IDRC); Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC); National Bureau of Statistics (NBS); United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI); Small and Medium Enterprises Development of Nigeria (SMEDAN); and the media.
Commenting on the benefits of the BECANS reports, the Executive Director of AfriHeritage, Professor Ufo Okeke-Uzodike, noted that BECANS research is very relevant for Nigeria.
“BECANS focuses directly on the unique contexts and peculiarities of individual states across Nigeria. It ensures that data collated at all levels can potentially bring needed socio-economic transformation and development in Nigeria,” Prof Okeke-Uzodike said.
The executive director explained that the BECANS report “is one of the most trusted sources of data and statistics for planning, monitoring, or evaluating the impact of the business environment and competitiveness reforms at the state level across Nigeria”.
The BECANS IV report presentation will have notable industry players and policymakers, and academicians will ideate and suggest proactive and achievable solutions for a vibrant business environment and social transformation in Nigeria and interested participants have been asked to register via https://bit.ly/3sZbyWI.
Adedapo Adesanya