Economy
FG, State Governments Team up on Ease of Doing Business
By Dipo Olowookere
State governments have restated their commitment to initiate and implement Doing Business reforms that will positively impact on businesses and stand them out among their peers in the World Bank sub-national rankings.
This commitment was made in Abuja at the kick-off mission for the Sub-National Doing Business (SNDB) in Nigeria project organised by the World Bank and the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES).
Opening statements to the workshop were made by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, who is Chair of the Nigerian Economic Council (NEC) Implementation Monitoring Committee, through a representative; and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Aminu Bisalla.
Welcoming participants to the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, thanked state governments for their willingness to drive the sub-national rankings project.
She noted that some states are already implementing reforms, but a lot more could be achieved by applying best practices like efficiency, transparency and performance management.
According to Dr Oduwole, “The key barometer on whether the various reforms are working will be the testimonials of small and medium business owners across the country.”
The workshop had commissioners of trade and commerce, budget and national planning, heads of investment agencies and other focal persons from nearly 20 states in attendance.
A reform leader at the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES), Mrs Toyin Bashir, stated that Doing Business reforms at the state level “will lead to job creation, as MSMEs currently make up 90% of registered businesses in Nigeria; better living standards; and increased foreign direct investments at a time when the country is grappling with a decline in oil prices.”
Mrs Bashir explained that removing bottlenecks around the 11 indicators on which states are to be ranked will provide relief for business owners and signal to the world that Nigeria is open for business.
“The 11 indicators affect firms throughout their life cycles. ‘Starting a Business’ and ‘Regulatory Environment’ affect firms at start-up phase; ‘Infrastructure’ and ‘Growth & Productivity’ affect firms in their daily operations; while ‘Registering Property’, ‘Access to land and property’ and ‘Dealing with Construction permits’ affect the firms when trying to get a location,” Bashir said. Furthermore, she explained that “‘Enforcing Contracts’ is a relevant indicator for when things go wrong, while ‘Transparency and accessibility to information’ is crucial at all phases of the business.”
The World Bank Doing Business Country Adviser for Nigeria, Ms Cemile Hacibeyoglu, listed some common features of successful reformers. Sharing best practice experiences from countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, Rwanda and Korea, she said “high-level leadership and ownership of the reform agenda, long term vision with clear objectives, inclusive reform process, detailed goals, private sector commitment and effective communication” are essential for a successful reform process.
In an interactive panel session, three states shared experiences on ongoing reform efforts and challenges – Kaduna State represented by the Commissioner of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Dr Manzo Maigari; Sokoto State by Commissioner for Commerce, Mr A. Aminu; and the Special Adviser to the Governor of Osun State on Public Service Productivity, Mr Ademola Adeyinka.
The World Bank sub-national rankings of Nigerian states is expected to be released in 2018. It will be the fourth in the series, with the most recent conducted in 2014.
The Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) have both committed to supporting the state governments by facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing workshops among the states as they implement their priority reforms.
It will be recalled that at the July 2017 National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, had made a presentation seeking the buy-in of governors for the sub-national rankings. The project was unanimously endorsed by the governors at the meeting.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The United Nations has expressed its readiness to assist in attracting investors to Zamfara State, especially in the mining and agricultural sectors.
The Deputy Secretary General of the global body, Mrs Amina Mohammed, during a visit on Thursday, said the northern Nigerian state is now ready for business and that the UN was willing to be a genuine partner to the state.
“Investors want an enabling environment. Peace is what you need today for people to come. The Zamfara narrative focuses on conflict related to solid minerals, and this needs to change,” she was quoted as saying in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the Zamfara Governor, Mr Sulaiman Bala Idris.
The former Nigerian Minister further said, “What you show us today is first and foremost your passion for what you want us to do, and that is what investors want. They want to know what you want.
“I am happy today to be here in Zamfara, because I really want to show the world that we should pay attention to what is happening at the local level. Because this is where people are weakest, where governance is weakest, and where there are the fewest resources.
“When we visit, we give visibility to the effort that has been made and to the impact of what is happening elsewhere in the world on people who have nothing to do with what caused it in the first place.
“Zamfara State is accessible today. And it would be even more accessible because the road we travelled on is still under construction. When it is finished, it will revive the businesses and markets around it, and hopefully, by then, we will witness more peace.
“I see the mining, I see the potentials, I see the market and the demand, but I also see the leadership here who is willing to look at the institution, framework and partner to get the job done.
“There is a lot of hope and potential here. Everyone must play their role; this is not something the governor will do alone. The United Nations is willing to be a genuine partner to Zamfara State.”
On his part, Governor Dauda Lawal said Zamfara is at a turning point, with a population of 5.3 million, and the state’s economy is agriculture-driven, with 82 per cent of the population depending on agriculture.
“Zamfara’s Six-Point Rescue Agenda is a deliberate strategy to stabilise, rebuild, and transition the state toward inclusive and sustainable development,” he told his guest.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has inaugurated the Governing Board of the Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX) to strengthen commodity trading and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a non-oil, export-driven economy.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Jumoke Oduwole, who inaugurated the board on Thursday in Abuja, said it was part of efforts to modernise commodity markets and boost export competitiveness.
According to her, the initiative seeks to formalise commodity trade and unlock value in agriculture and solid minerals, supporting the government’s agenda on diversification, job creation and food security.
The minister described the development as a major step toward repositioning Nigeria in regional and global markets.
She noted that Nigeria’s vast resources and access to over 1.4 billion consumers under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) present significant export opportunities.
She emphasised the need to address poor traceability, informal trading systems and infrastructure gaps affecting commodity markets.
Mrs Oduwole said the reactivation of the exchange would strengthen transparency, standardise trading and improve price discovery.
She added that the NCX would attract investment into market infrastructure and help Nigerian commodities meet international export standards.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Chris Isokpunwu, described the inauguration as a landmark step in strengthening Nigeria’s commodity export ecosystem.
Mr Isokpunwu, represented by the Director of the Commodity Exchange Department of the ministry, Mr Obasi Edozie, urged the newly inaugurated board to discharge their duties with diligence and professionalism.
He assured the board of the ministry’s support toward achieving measurable economic outcomes.
Mr Abubakar, Chairman of the governing board, pledged the board’s commitment to repositioning the exchange as a globally competitive trading platform.
He listed priorities to include strengthening governance, upgrading warehouses and digital trading systems and building capacity for farmers and market operators.
He also emphasised the need to deepen partnerships with financial institutions and international commodity markets.
“The inauguration underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the NCX to drive export growth, rural prosperity and sustainable economic development.”
**Revokes Trading Licences of LMB, Platinum Stockbrokers
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A stockbroking company, Premium Capital and Stockbrokers Limited, has been fined N5 million for engaging in “unauthorised sale of its clients’ securities.”
A circular issued by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Regulation Limited disclosed that the trading licence of the organisation has also been revoked.
In the notice signed by the Head of Market Regulation for NGX RegCo, Chinedu Akamaka, Premium Capital violated Rule 11.9 of the Rulebook of The Exchange, 2015 (Dealing Members’ Rules), which focuses on the Prohibition of Unauthorised Sale of Securities.
Business Post reports that Premium Capital was not the only stockbroker that had its trading licence withdrawn, as it also affected others.
The licence of LMB Stockbrokers Limited was revoked by NGX RegCo for prolonged inactivity, which falls contrary to Rule 6.4: Revocation of Inactive Dealing Members’ Licences, Rulebook of The Exchange, 2015 (Dealing Members’ Rules), as amended.
The same also affected Platinum Stockbrokers Limited, which has not witnessed activity on the floor of the NGX Limited for a while.
Similarly, the authorised dealing clerkship of Mr Bernard Oluwole Ilori, was taken back with immediate effect in alignment with an earlier determination by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Administrative Proceedings Committee (APC), which arose from his involvement in regulatory infractions connected to Mutual Alliance Investment and Securities Limited and resulted in his 10-year ban from the Nigerian capital market since March 25, 2021.
Investors have been “strongly advised not to engage in any activity with the firms” whose trading licenses have been revoked.
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