Waibi: Private Sector Collaboration Key to Obaseki’s Drive for Business Growth

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Edo State is taking significant steps to enhance its business environment and create a more conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive, the Managing Director, Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO), Kelvin Uwaibi has said. 

Uwaibi who is also the Secretary of the Edo Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Council, stated this during a one-day private sector consultation forum organised by ESIPO in conjunction with the Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Employment in Nigeria GIZ-SEDIN Programme.

He said the 2024 Business Enabling Reforms Action Plan (BERAP) launched on December 4, 2023, is a comprehensive plan that outlines specific action points across eight key areas to address the critical challenges affecting businesses in the state, said.

He said the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government’s commitment to addressing these challenges and fostering a more investor-friendly environment is evident in the planned reforms. 

Uwaibi listed the plans to include the initiatives, which focused on implementing the Edo State Export Strategy Plan, developing an export policy, and establishing cluster schemes for smallholder farmers. 

“Additionally, the plan includes initiatives to revive the Edo MSME Trust Fund, equip the Edo State Bureau of Statistics with improved data gathering and management capabilities, and enhance magistrates’ capacity for effective courtroom management. 

“There is also plan to streamline government processes for easier access and harmonize local government taxes while establishing clear channels for communication and feedback,” Uwaibi stated.

The forum highlighted the importance of collaboration between all stakeholders, including the Ease of Doing Business Council, government agencies, business member organisations, and the private sector itself with government’s commitment to collaboration as evident in the Blueprint for 2024 reforms unveiled and a robust framework of recommendations laid out.

The council emphasized the pivotal role of private sector involvement in policy formulation and implementation while unveiling a roadmap brimming with initiatives to foster a more conducive environment for businesses.

The forum also witnessed the presence and active participation of notable figures from various spheres, including government officials led by the