A one-day Nationwide Subnational Engagement and Technical Reform Workshop 2026 in Anambra State, organized by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), has identified stronger collaboration between the federal and subnational governments as a prerequisite for achieving Nigeria’s economic transformation.
The workshop, a nationwide initiative aimed at entrenching ease of doing business and enabling business in Anambra, was part of the activities at a town hall meeting with state stakeholders, including government officials and the Anambra business community.
The Council, which is chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, is on the visit to feel the pulse of the state on the level of ease of doing business, to see the progress the state has made and the opportunities for further collaboration.
In an overview, the Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, said President Bola Tinubu remains committed to implementing one of the most ambitious economic reform agendas in the country’s recent history.
According to her, President Tinubu’s vision is anchored in the understanding that sustainable economic growth cannot be driven by isolated efforts but by a synchronized national strategy that creates a seamless investment environment capable of promoting enterprise and productivity, and expanding opportunities for Nigerians.
“The future of Nigeria’s economy will not be determined in Abuja alone. It will be determined in our states, cities, industrial clusters, farms, innovation hubs and local governments. Strengthening subnational competitiveness is therefore no longer optional, but imperative,” she said.
Audu explained that the competition for investment has increasingly shifted from countries to states, cities, and regions, stressing that targeted reforms to improve the investment climate have proven effective in attracting investment inflows and creating sustainable jobs.
The PEBEC boss observed that every state in Nigeria possesses unique comparative advantages ranging from agriculture and manufacturing to logistics, tourism, mineral resources and technology ecosystems, but emphasized that the challenge lies in proper positioning.
She warned against the tendency of states trying to market every sector simultaneously, saying global experience shows that successful investment destinations concentrate on a few sectors where they possess genuine competitive advantages.
“States must make deliberate choices. They must identify sectors where they can compete effectively, invest strategically, remove barriers to growth, and consistently communicate those opportunities to the world. Priority attracts capital, focus attracts investors, and execution sustains investment,” she said.
Audu further underscored the growing importance of digital visibility in attracting investments, noting that prospective investors often begin evaluating opportunities online before physically visiting destinations.
In her welcome remarks, the Secretary to Anambra State Government, Chiamaka Nnake, said the state government has, over the past four years, focused on improving the ease of doing business in the state, adding that much more remains to be done to achieve the intent.
According to her, the vision of the present administration is to make Anambra the best place to live, work, and enjoy, as well as a preferred choice for investment, noting that ease of doing business aligns perfectly with the vision.
In a presentation, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon Chukwukadibia Okoye, maintained that the state government is the greatest marketer of the state’s potential, saying the workshop provides the opportunity to unleash the numerous achievements of the state.
“We need to reel out the progress we have made across different areas of governance on entrenching ease of doing business, including infrastructure, governance, security and many others.
“So, this forum provides a veritable opportunity for the government to showcase what it has done, with a view to eliciting the trust and support of investors.
“One such achievement is in the area of security, where the government is not just fighting crime, but also directing efforts at tackling the negative mindset that is driving crime.
“Also, the Monday sit-at-home, which has grown from what it was taunted to be, to a criminal enterprise that has become a wheel in the progress of the state, has been addressed.
“In Anambra today, we have 22 Smart Schools across the 21 LGAs. These are smart schools with pupils that are functioning. What the state government is planning to do now is to entrench smart education even in the conventional schools.
“There is also the Small Claims Court, SCC, which has miniaturized rules of court to adaptable forms for traders and other business community members to take advantage of them. And we go on and on,” he noted.
In a presentation, the reform leader at the PEBEC Secretariat, Gabriel Oyemi, spoke on the need for subnational governments to harmonize their levies, fees, and regulatory charges, which he said would help build trust among the populace and reduce the pilfering of government revenue.
Stressing the need for legal backing for every levy collected by the government, Oyemi also urged subnational governments to work towards entrenching a predictable investment environment in their states and digitizing their processes.
“The government must also establish the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) dedicated to addressing issues that arise in the running of government processes. It must be on a daily basis and also ensure that all complaints are addressed promptly and expeditiously,” he said.
On her part, a member of the team, Barr Ifunanya Chidi informed the gathering of the existence of Small Claims Courts, SCC in three jurisdictional locations across the state, to address issues arising from business transactions between the range of five to ten million naira.
She emphasized the need for business owners, especially traders, to use the courts to resolve their business disputes.
The workshop provided an opportunity for members of the Anambra business community to understand what the federal and state governments are doing to improve the ease of doing business, as well as to ask questions about grey areas.
