The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has unveiled two critical reports that provide a comprehensive assessment of Nigeria's business climate across all states and key federal agencies in 2025. Released on 4 December 2025 by PEBEC's Director-General, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, the findings offer investors and policymakers a detailed roadmap of regulatory performance and reform progress.
State Rankings: Lagos Leads, Top Ten Emerge
According to the 2025 Subnational Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Report, Lagos State has solidified its position as Nigeria's most competitive business destination, achieving an impressive score of 85.6 per cent. The state's leadership is attributed to significant advancements in land administration, digital process integration, taxation systems, trade logistics, and investor support services.
Kaduna State secured second place with 65.1 per cent, praised for its administrative efficiency and predictable regulatory framework. Oyo State followed closely in third position with 62.7 per cent. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Ogun State completed the top five, scoring 61.0 per cent and 59.9 per cent respectively.
The report also highlighted Enugu, Plateau, Ekiti, Kano, and Nasarawa states as part of the top ten performers. PEBEC credited these states' success to sustained reform execution, better infrastructure planning, and wider adoption of technology-driven public services.
Federal Agencies: NCDMB, NDLEA, Customs Excel
Complementing the state assessment, the 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Performance Report evaluated 69 priority federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) topped this ranking with a stellar 90.6 per cent score, recognized for its responsive services, simplified procedures, and adherence to legal standards.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) followed in second place with 89.3 per cent, while the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) took third with 86.6 per cent, reflecting notable improvements in digital trade facilitation and cargo clearance predictability. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) rounded out the top five federal bodies.
These assessments utilized a rigorous methodology combining monthly compliance data, mystery shopper evaluations, website audits, and real-time service delivery tracking through the ReportGov platform.
Priority Reforms and Future Direction
To accelerate nationwide improvements, PEBEC has recommended five critical interventions for immediate state-level adoption:
- Establishing robust investor aftercare systems
- Strengthening credit access frameworks for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
- Harmonizing interstate trade regulations to reduce logistics bottlenecks
- Upgrading commercial justice systems for faster dispute resolution
- Improving power reliability, particularly for industrial clusters and SMEs
These priorities align with the ongoing $750 million State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Programme, which incentivizes measurable progress across Nigeria's federation.
Princess Audu emphasized that these reports should serve as actionable blueprints rather than mere scorecards. She urged states and MDAs to take ownership of reforms to deliver reliable, technology-driven services that meet global business standards.
PEBEC, established in 2016 and chaired by Vice President H.E. Kashim Shettima, continues to coordinate nationwide efforts to eliminate bureaucratic and legislative barriers to doing business in Nigeria.
