Buhari: Nigeria to Be in Top 100 Countries in Ease of Doing Business by 2019

•  Promises to protect foreign investments in Nigeria
•  Says agriculture will get more fund next year

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

Nigeria will be one of the most attractive and easiest places of doing business in the world by 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Sunday in Nairobi, Kenya.

Speaking at a plenary session on “Dialogue with the Private Sector” at the sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD VI), Buhari said his administration was implementing policies and measures to create right and enabling environment for business and investors in Nigeria.

Nigeria is currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries by the World Bank, according to the Bank’s 2016 Ease of Doing Business report.

In a multiple statements ‎issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, the president told the session attended by several African leaders, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and international business executives that his administration’s vision was to make Nigeria one of the top investment destinations in the world, within the shortest possible time.

‘‘We believe government has a particular responsibility to create right and attractive environment for businesses and economic activities to thrive.

‘‘In furtherance of this vision, we have launched the Presidential Enabling Environment Council, PEEC and Inter-Ministerial Council to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle businesses and economic activities and thereby create economic activities and the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria.

‘‘The secretariat will include strong private sector representation that would be led by experienced business professionals from the private sector.

‘‘We are committed to moving up the ranking of the World Bank’s ease of doing business index 20 places in first year and be in the top 100 within the next 3 years,’’ the president said.

In another statement, the president assured existing and prospective foreign investors that their investments in Nigeria would be fully secured and protected.