In line with the Ease of Doing Business initiative and following the 2019 World Bank report, Nigeria’s government has launched a app to improve the business climate in the country, especially for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) was established in 2016, to oversee the Nigeria business climate reform agenda and reduce bureaucratic constraints to doing business in the country.
Sub-Saharan Africa is said to have witnessed the largest number of reforms since 2012, with 107 business climate reforms across 40 countries between 2018 and 2019.
Speaking on the PEBEC app, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, addresses its wider purpose.
“The importance of the PEBEC app is that it is a tangible tool for achieving the important objectives of better interaction, communication, and feedback mechanism from the users of government services.
“This is basically leveraging technology on the app for responses that people can access on their phones instead of a portal or website. Given the inclusive usage of phones and digital means of communication in Nigeria, I am highly confident that this will make a difference leveraging technology to achieve better services to people”, he added.
On the app’s efficiency, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said complaints lodged with relevant evidence will be attended to within 72 hours.
“We are looking at meeting the local, state, federal government to form an action plan on that level. We started with compliance, training and capacity building and also encourage private sectors to assist in training government parastatals,” she added.