FIC Report (Kogi State) – Kogi State has received commendation for its ongoing efforts to improve the ease of doing business and create a more attractive environment for investors, as the state hosted the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Nationwide Subnational Stakeholder Engagement Reforms Tour 2026 and Technical Workshop on Business-Enabling Reforms and Investment Competitiveness in Lokoja.
Declaring the workshop open Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who was represented by the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) Focal Person and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Inda Salami, said the engagement provided a strategic platform for strengthening collaboration among government institutions.
This development, the governor said, became imperative to enable businesses and development partners in the collective pursue a competitive and investor-friendly economy.
Salami, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Kogi State Investment Promotion and Public Private Partnership Agency (KOSIPPPPA).
Governor Ododo noted that the state recognises the critical role of business-enabling reforms in driving economic growth, attracting investment, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of citizens.
He said Kogi had remained committed to improving regulatory efficiency, promoting transparency, simplifying government-to-business services and strengthening private sector participation through the SABER programme and other strategic initiatives.
According to him, the state’s reforms have yielded positive results, with Kogi improving its ranking from 36th to 30th position in Ease of Doing business environment performance.
He disclosed that the state has entered the consolidation phase of the SABER programme with the development of its 2026 Business Enabling Reforms Action Plan, which focuses on simplifying business registration processes, improving access to land documentation, strengthening public-private partnership frameworks, promoting digital governance, expanding investment promotion initiatives and enhancing regulatory predictability.
The governor further highlighted Kogi’s investor aftercare programme, designed to support existing investors through continuous engagement, efficient grievance resolution mechanisms, one-stop investment support services and post-investment monitoring.
He said the state was also facilitating business expansion by assisting investors with land permits and infrastructure requirements while maintaining regular public-private dialogue platforms to address operational challenges and encourage reinvestment.
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zarah Mustapha Audu, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic agenda requires all tiers of government to move in the same direction to unlock Nigeria’s enormous economic potential.
She stressed that the country’s future economic prosperity would not be determined in Abuja alone but through reforms and initiatives implemented across states and local governments.
While commending Kogi State for its remarkable strides, she urged the government to be more deliberate and strategic in achieving its economic growth targets.
Contributing, the Head of the PEBEC, North Central Subnational Team, Mr. Shima Kennedy, emphasised the importance of the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework in ensuring evidence-based policymaking.
He explained that the framework enables governments to assess the impact of regulations before implementation, reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and improve transparency, efficiency and stakeholder engagement.
Another PEBEC official, Mr. Prosper Praise Ogbonnia, also lauded Kogi State for laying a strong foundation for investment promotion, describing the state as one of the most strategically located in the North Central region.
He urged the state to leverage its unique geographical advantage by strengthening its branding, harmonising levies and charges, promoting digital payment systems and establishing a comprehensive one-stop investment centre to simplify business processes and enhance investor confidence.
Another speaker at the occasion, Barrister Nante Miner highlighted the role of small claims courts in promoting business growth and improving debt recovery mechanisms.
She noted that such courts offer speedy and accessible dispute resolution processes, often without the need for legal representation, disclosing that Kogi State currently operates two small claims courts, a development she said would further encourage entrepreneurship and commercial activities in the state.
The workshop brought together government officials, private sector operators and development partners to assess progress, identify challenges and explore new strategies for improving the business climate.
Participants expressed optimism that sustained reforms under the SABER programme would position Kogi State as a leading investment destination and gateway for economic opportunities between Northern and Southern Nigeria.
Maryam Abubakar Gulma
CIPRO
Federal Information Centre Lokoja
10th June 2026
