The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has unveiled a stark picture of Nigeria's public service delivery for 2025. The council's latest Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Performance Report reveals a deep chasm between highly efficient agencies and those still mired in bureaucratic inefficiency and outdated systems.
Top Performers: A Beacon of Efficiency and Compliance
Under the leadership of its Director-General, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, PEBEC conducted an extensive review of 69 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from January to October 2025. This evidence-based assessment is the most comprehensive since the BFA became law, measuring service efficiency, transparency, responsiveness, and compliance.
The Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) emerged as the undisputed leader, securing the top spot in the national ranking. It achieved excellence across all measured categories, including complaint resolution, innovation, and transparency. The board's success is attributed to near-perfect adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs), fully digitalised application processes, constantly updated public information, and swift resolution of complaints submitted via the ReportGov platform.
Following closely in second place was the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which delivered one of the year's most impressive turnarounds. The agency showcased a highly responsive complaint system, improved digital channels, and robust internal escalation procedures. Notably, it recorded zero incidents of rent-seeking during mystery-shopping exercises, a rare achievement for a frontline law enforcement body.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) ranked third with an efficiency score of 86.6%, showing marked improvement in its service processes and timeline compliance. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) held fourth place, reinforcing its longstanding reputation for structured, tech-driven services through automated licensing, clear timelines, and active customer care. Completing the top five was the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which rose due to updated tariff information, clearer documentation timelines, targeted automation to reduce bottlenecks, and stricter internal monitoring.
The Lagging Agencies: A Drag on National Progress
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the report highlighted several MDAs performing far below acceptable national standards. These agencies recorded alarmingly low scores in critical areas like transparency, SLA compliance, complaint handling, and digital readiness.
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) finished at the very bottom of the 69 MDAs with a shockingly low score of just 3%. This marks the weakest performance captured in the report.
It was closely trailed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which scored only 12.7% despite its pivotal role in national identity and digital verification systems. Other poor performers included the Joint Tax Board (14.6%), the National Bureau of Statistics (14.9%), the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (14.5%), and the Federal Produce Inspection Service (16%).
Furthermore, the Nigerian Postal Service (NPS) managed only 17.1%, while the Ministry of Interior lagged with a score of 19.5%.
Implications and the Call for Urgent Reform
PEBEC issued a stern warning that unless the worst-performing agencies undergo immediate and comprehensive reform, Nigeria will continue to experience uneven and stunted progress in its business climate. The council stressed that public service reform is not a mere bureaucratic exercise but a strategic imperative for strengthening investor confidence, enhancing government efficiency, and underpinning sustainable economic growth.
The 2025 report serves as a clear scorecard, celebrating agencies that have embraced digitisation and transparency while naming and shaming those whose inefficiencies continue to burden businesses and citizens. The sharp divide exposed by the data underscores the urgent need for systemic change across Nigeria's public sector.
