Ease Of Doing Business: Nigeria Targets Top 100 Countries By 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria will be one of the most attractive and easiest places of doing business in the world by 2019.

He said this on Sunday in Nairobi, Kenya at a plenary session on “Dialogue with the Private Sector” at the sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD VI).

President Buhari said his administration is implementing policies and measures to create right and enabling environment for business and investors in Nigeria.

Nigeria is currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries by the World Bank, according to the Bank’s 2016 Ease of Doing Business report.

President Buhari told the session attended by several African leaders, Japan Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe and international business executives that his administration’s vision and objective was to make Nigeria one of the top investment destinations in the world, within the shortest possible time.

“We believe government has a particular responsibility to create right and attractive environment for businesses and economic activities to thrive.

“In furtherance of this vision, we have launched the Presidential Enabling Environment Council (PEEC) and Inter-Ministerial Council, to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle businesses and economic activities and thereby create economic activities and the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria.

“The secretariat will include strong private sector representation that would be led by experienced business professionals from the private sector.

“We are committed to moving up the ranking of the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index 20 places in first year and be in the top 100 within the next 3 years,” the President said.

This plan was made public by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu.