Kogi govt, others target $750m SABER fund to promote ease of doing business

Kogi State Government says it is accelerating reforms under the $750 million World Bank-supported SABER programme aimed at improving ease of doing business across the 36 states of the federation.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo stated this while playing host to a one-day strategic technical session and statewide townhall meeting held in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) in Lokoja on Friday.

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Governor Ododo who was represented by the Chief Economic Adviser to the State Government and Kogi State SABER Focal Person, Aliyu Inda Salami stressed that the one-day engagement focused on the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER), a World Bank-backed initiative designed to enhance investment readiness and promote business-friendly environment nationwide.

He emphasised that the key reforms already underway in Kogi includes land administration, commerce, investment promotion, agriculture, and legal framework to facilitate access to credit by businesses in the state.

He described the technical session as a timely opportunity to assess progress and strengthen collaboration among implementing agencies as the state towards unlocking critical development funding opportunities from within and outside Nigeria.

Director General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, commended the commitment of the Kogi State Government to the reform process and urged the state to intensify efforts to meet required benchmarks.

She disclosed that Kogi State currently meets four out of the twelve reform milestones required under SABER, but added that the one year extension granted to the programme presents a vital window for improvement by the state.

She identified priority action points that the state must address, including the establishment of a functional grievance redress mechanism, the issuance of an executive order mandating collaboration among five key Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, creation of small claims courts, and the consistent publication of monthly business-related statistics.

According to her, 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 percent due to poor milestone compliance across many states.

Princess Zahrah 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 said Kogi remains strategically located and rich in 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.