By Mary Omogbare
Towards achieving a collective commitment to driving sustainable economic growth through inclusive and strategic reforms, the Edo State Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Council, through its operational office, the EoDB/State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Secretariat, has organized a one-day stakeholders’ engagement Workshop to update the private sector on implemented reforms and to provide practical guidance for navigating government processes in business.
The workshop which held in Benin City, brought together stakeholders from Government ministries, private sector players, and business associations, to review reform progress under the 2024 Business Enabling Reform Action Plan (BERAP) and to initiate dialogue toward the development of the 2026 BERAP.
According to the Chairman of the Edo State EoDB Council, Engr. Emmanuel Okoebor, the Workshop was aimed at strengthening collaboration with public, private, and business membership organizations (BMOs) to improve the State’s business environment.
“This engagement is not only to showcase the achievements recorded so far but also to solicit input from critical stakeholders as we prepare the groundwork for the 2026 BERAP. It reflects our collective commitment to driving sustainable economic growth through inclusive and strategic reforms.” Engr. Okoebor asserted.
Milestone achievements reported by the Edo State SABER Focal Person, Mr. Bright Omorogbe, included quick determination of commercial disputes; improved access to investment and business information to boost investment inflows; enhanced efficiency and sustainability in land-based investment processes; strengthening Public-Private Governance and Fiscal Responsibility, amongst others.
Mr. Omorogbe stated that the reforms were made possible through collaboration among ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), with technical support from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
The Team Lead of the Edo State EoDB Secretariat, Miss. Mary Omogbare, shared ongoing efforts by the Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO) to engage the private sector to include visits to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Okomu Oil Palm Company, and Presco Plc, underscoring the state’s commitment to proactive collaboration. She disclosed plans for a Street-to-Street micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) engagement campaign across all 18 LGAs in the next quarter, saying the initiative aims to identify and address challenges faced by MSMEs directly within their operating environments.
Representatives of BMOs, including the President of the Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and the State Coordinator of the Edo Exporters Cluster, shared their expectations for continued government support, improved policy implementation, and sustained public-private dialogue.
The Engagement reaffirmed the Edo State Government’s resolve to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and highlighted the essential role of cross-sector collaboration in achieving reform sustainability.
