Shettima Urges States to Accelerate Reforms to Maximise $750m World Bank SABER Programme

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged state governments to accelerate business-enabling reforms to unlock the full potential of the $750 million World Bank-supported SABER (State Action on Business Enabling Reforms) programme.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima said effective execution of the programme would create a more predictable and transparent business environment, attract investments, and drive economic growth at the subnational level.

The Vice President outlined several benefits of a fully implemented SABER programme, including attracting domestic and foreign investment, strengthening private-sector confidence, reducing the cost of doing business, expanding digital and physical infrastructure, improving access to land and commercial justice systems, and enhancing state competitiveness.

“These outcomes will translate into increased economic activity, higher productivity, job creation, improved internally generated revenue, and better living standards for our citizens,” Shettima stated.

He directed the Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) to begin extending the programme by an additional year, noting that optimising SABER would support Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.

Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, called for addressing implementation challenges in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, urging stakeholders to remove bottlenecks that slow down reform execution at the state level.

The Director-General of PEBEC, Zarah Mustapha-Audu, assured stakeholders that the council remained committed to removing bureaucratic obstacles and supporting states in their reform efforts.

The SABER programme is a World Bank-financed initiative designed to support Nigerian states in implementing business environment reforms that drive private-sector investment and economic growth.

Sources: Daily Trust, Channels TV