Kogi, others target World Bank’s $750m fund to boost business reforms
The Kogi State Government says it is accelerating reforms under the $750 million World Bank-supported SABER programme aimed at improving the ease of doing business across the 36 states of the federation.
A statement issued on Sunday by the state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, noted that Governor Ahmed Ododo made this known while hosting a one-day strategic technical session and statewide town hall meeting held in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council in Lokoja on Friday.
Ododo, who was represented by the Chief Economic Adviser to the State Government and Kogi State SABER Focal Person, Aliyu Salami, stressed that the engagement focused on the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms, a World Bank-backed initiative designed to enhance investment readiness and promote a business-friendly environment nationwide.
He described the technical session as “A timely opportunity to assess progress and strengthen collaboration among implementing agencies, as the state moves toward unlocking critical development funding opportunities both domestically and internationally.”
The Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Audu, commended the Kogi State Government’s commitment to the reform process and urged the state to intensify efforts to meet the required benchmarks.
He emphasised that “Key reforms already underway in Kogi include land administration, commerce, investment promotion, agriculture, and a legal framework to facilitate access to credit for businesses in the state.”
The statement added, “She disclosed that Kogi currently meets four out of the twelve reform milestones required under SABER, but noted that the one-year extension granted to the programme provides a vital window for the state to improve.
“She identified priority action points the state must address, including the establishment of a functional grievance redress mechanism, issuance of an executive order mandating collaboration among five key Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, creation of small claims courts, and the consistent publication of monthly business-related statistics.
“SABER funding is strictly performance-based, and of the total $750 million available, only $70.9 million has been accessed nationally—representing less than 10 per cent—due to poor milestone compliance across many states.”
Audu reaffirmed her commitment to supporting Kogi’s reform efforts, promising to provide technical guidance and hands-on support to the state’s focal team.
She emphasised that Kogi remains strategically located and rich in both human and natural resources, stressing that with the right reforms, the state could emerge as a leading destination for investment and economic growth in Nigeria’s North Central region.
0 Comments