Saraki To Receive Report On Business Environment In Nigeria

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki will on Monday (February 29th) formally receive the Business Environment Legislative Review Report developed by a team of Legal Advisers to the ENABLE-DFID programme, led by Prof Paul Idornigie (SAN).

A statement from the Office of the Senate President in Abuja stated the report initiated by the Senate President was in fulfilment of the Legislative Agenda of the 8th National Assembly geared towards creating a business friendly environment in the country.

The statement added that: "Following the legislative agenda of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 8th National Assembly, and in consultation with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), the Nigerian Bar Association – Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL) and other key private sector stakeholders; the Office of the Senate President initiated a review of the institutional, regulatory and legal instruments currently constraining and impeding business activity in Nigeria. 

"With the technical aid and support of ENABLE-DFID and GEMS 3 programmes, a team of experts conducted a business environment legislative review covering the entire raft of legal structures affecting businesses today. The underlying objective of the review is to provide a framework for the assessment and improvement of legislation and policy affecting businesses in Nigeria"‎, the statement added.

Prof. Paul Idornigie led the team of Legal Advisers that conducted the research of business environment acts and bills and developed the Business Environment Legislative Review Report.

The report is expected to propose priority legislative areas that will provide a solid foundation of evidence to set priorities for new and revised business environment legislation by the National Assembly.

“With the reform of key sectors of the economy, there is a critical need to facilitate an enabling environment for private sector participation. There are Bills pending before the National Assembly that are of priority importance to doing business and overall private sector development in Nigeria, especially in infrastructure delivery”‎, it stated.

Expected at the presentation which will take place at the National Assembly on Monday are the the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara; World Bank representatives; the Chairman of the NESG, Mr. Kyari Bukar, the Nigerian Bar Association - Section on Business Law  (NBA-SBL) representatives led by Asue Ighodalo; and private sector and media stakeholders.