• Saturday, April 27, 2024
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Buhari signs Nigeria’s first business facilitation bill into law

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, ordered the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Sani Haruna, to immediately hand over to the most senior officer in the organization.

President Muhammadu Buhari, has signed the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill 2022 (also known as the Omnibus Bill) into law, as part of the government’s efforts to create an enabling environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.

This was made known in a statement signed by Jumoke Oduwole, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) secretary.

Presented as an Executive Bill, the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provision) Act, 2023 is a legislative intervention by the PEBEC
which amends 21 business related laws, removing bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria.

“The new law also codifies the Executive Order 001 on Transparency and Efficiency in Public Service Delivery, the Administration’s first executive order, aimed at strengthening ease of doing business reforms across the country,” it stated.

In her remarks,Jumoke Oduwole stated that the Act is a culmination of over four years of collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders, including the Attorney General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Business Law through the participation of over 40 law firms and consulting firms, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), and the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER).

“We are especially delighted to appreciate the 9th National Assembly for its speedy consideration of this Bill, with immense support from Senator Babajide Omoworare, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) all his efforts,” she said.

Read also: Buhari signs Executive Order 14, approves transition council

The Business Facilitation Act, 2023 consolidates the last seven years of PEBEC-led reforms and demonstrates the Administration’s sustained commitment towards making Nigeria a progressively easier place to start and grow a business.