Shettima Hosts PEBEC Town Hall Meeting As 30-day Regulatory Reform Extension Ends

Following the successful completion of the 90-day Regulatory Reform Accelerator Action Plan, Vice-President Kassim Shettima is set to host the inaugural Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC)  town hall meeting on Friday, June 28, 2024.

The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Jumoke Oduwole, who made this known in a statement, said that the town hall meeting would serve as a platform where the results of the accelerator and deepening the PEBEC’s regulatory reform mandate will be discussed. 

According to Oduwole, all PEBEC members are expected at the event, including heads of over 50 Federal Government agencies and their reform teams, representatives of the organized private sector and other stakeholders. 

The PEBEC boss’ statement read: “The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) commenced a 90-day Regulatory Reform Accelerator Action Plan on February 20, 2024, which was set to terminate on May 20, 2023. 

“However, due to the suboptimal performance of MDAs and the sluggish reform completion, His Excellency, the Vice-President and Chair of the PEBEC granted a 30-day extension period to enable MDAs double down on their reform efforts. The extension period ends at midnight today, June 19, 2024. 

“Over the extended 120 days, MDAs have actively worked on improving eight key indicators including the review and update of their Service Level Agreements, Transparency Reforms, Efficiency Reforms, Entry & Exit (Airport) Reforms, Port Operations Reforms, National Single Window Project Facilitation, AgroExport Reforms and Manufacturing for Export Reforms. 

“These reforms operationalize earlier codified provision in the Business Facilitation Act 2022, and directly impact productivity and competitiveness of Nigeria’s economy. 

“With the success of this final sprint, Vice-President Kassim Shettima is set to host the inaugural PEBEC town hall meeting on Friday, June 28, 2024, where the results of the accelerator and deepening the PEBEC’s regulatory reform mandate will be discussed. 

“Expected attendance for this highly anticipated town hall meeting includes PEBEC members, heads of over 5O Federal Government agencies and their reform teams, representatives of the organized private sector and other stakeholders. 

“The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) was established in July 2016 by the Federal Government to oversee Nigeria’s business environment intervention and is a top priority of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in line with the 8-point renewed hope agenda of this Administration. 

“The 3rd cohort of the Council was inaugurated on November 16, 2023, with 24 members from all arms and levels of government.”