29 MDAS fail FG’S business facilitation compliance metrics

From and Anthony ( Abuja) HE Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council ( PEBEC) in its 2023 Business Facilitation Act ( BFA) has adjudged the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board ( NCDMB) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria ( SON) as best in business facilitation, with 29 agencies scoring below 50 per cent.

NCDMB secured the highest point of 70.07 per cent placing the agency on the top of the chart in efficiency and transparency compliance ranking among the other ministries, departments and agencies ( MDAS) in the country.

It was followed closely by

SON with 69.5 per cent; the Corporate Affairs Commission ( CAC) with 65.12 per cent and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission ( FCCPC) with 65.04 per cent.

The report shows that only 10 out of 39 MDA scored above 50 per cent in the assessment.

"With only 10 MDAS scoring above 50 per cent and a weighted average score of 34.87 per cent across the 39 MDAS, strategic measures to enhance sector- specific metrics will need to be prioritised. Thus, MDAS must take concrete steps to improve efficiency and transparency ratings before the end of the 2024 reporting period," the report states.

It further noted that MDAS should as a matter of urgency set up BFA Implementation Reform Committees. The committees, it said, will be responsible for steering BFA implementation initiatives in the MDAS and accelerating the strides taken in promoting a culture of transparency and accountability.

“We strongly urge the MDAS covered in this report to draw insights from empirical data and past BFA reports ( since 2018) to drive essential improvements in efficiency and transparency,” it stated.

Commenting on the results, the Special Adviser to the President on PEBEC and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, noted that over the past seven years, PEBEC has consistently published compliance reports, providing an empirical analysis of the monthly reports from MDAS.

The BFA efficiency ranking relates to the capacity of an MDA to provide its services in a timely, cost- effective and customer- friendly manner. The ranking measures MDAS on their adherence to service level agreements ( SLAS), costs and procedures, one government directive and default approval.

Historically, the MDAS that exhibit exceptional performance are those that recorded consistent efficiency reporting performance, higher degrees of adherence to service guidelines, and improved customer experience.