FIC Report (Delta State) – The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), in collaboration with the State Action On Business Enabling Reforms (SABER), hosted a pivotal town hall meeting in Asaba, as part of its 2025 nationwide tour across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The Townhall Meeting which was held at the Unity Hall Government House Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, brought together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to engage on policies aimed at improving the ease of doing business in the State.
The Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Chief Fidelis Okenmor Tilije, delivered a welcome address on behalf of the Governor of Delta State His Excellency, Rt Hon. (Elder) Sheriff oborevwori.
In his opening remarks, the Hon. Commissioner for Finance warmly welcomed the delegation from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) on behalf of the Governor of Delta State.
He expressed the State’s appreciation for PEBEC’s consistent efforts to foster a more business-friendly environment across the nation.
The Commissioner described Delta State as a haven of peace and an investor’s delight. He highlighted the State’s alignment with World Bank development policies, stating that Delta State has earned four awards in line with these standards.
The Finance Commissioner further emphasized the State’s leading position as the number one oil-producing state in the country and reiterated the administration’s commitment to continued progress for both the State and the nation at large.
In a remark, Ms. Kris Ekenem, the representative of the Director General of PEBEC, expressed gratitude to the Delta State Government for organizing the townhall and for its commitment to business reform initiatives. She noted that the session was designed to give the private sector a platform to voice their experiences and challenges in conducting business within the State.
She assured stakeholders that the concerns and feedback received would be met with robust responses from the government and relevant agencies.
To further enlighten attendees, a video was played detailing the roles and objectives of PEBEC.
The video, featuring the DG of PEBEC, outlined the Council’s mission to:
Simplify business processes, Improve transparency, Enhance infrastructure and logistics, Deepen sector-specific reforms, Promote subnational (state-level) reforms and Foster innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ms. Ekenem encouraged private sector participants to continually provide feedback, reaffirming PEBEC’s dedication to easing business operations across all sectors.
A live Panel Session was held where government officials interfaced with business unions and stakeholders.
The robust panel discussion featured the Hon. Commissioner for Lands, Delta State, the Board Chairman, Delta State Internal Revenue Service, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment and the Executive Secretary, Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development Agency.
The session was moderated by the representative of the DG PEBEC and the panelists discussed various state-level initiatives that support business operations and growth. They provided insights into how their respective agencies are structured to assist entrepreneurs and investors in navigating business processes more efficiently.
The discussants also addressed questions and received contributions related to land acquisition, Multiple taxation, business registration, trade facilitation, politics and bureaucracy as well as security for farmers and access to government-backed MSME support programs and loans
The vote of thanks was delivered by the Director-General of the Delta State Investment Development Agency, Mr. Anthony Emeka Elekeokwuri.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor of Delta State, the Director-General expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and her team for organizing the series of townhall meetings across the various states of the federation. He commended the initiative as a strategic and impactful platform for engaging directly with business owners, understanding their challenges and promoting actionable reforms that create a more conducive environment for business growth.
Mr. Elekeokwuri further acknowledged the collaborative efforts between PEBEC and state governments in driving ease-of-doing-business reforms and reiterated Delta State’s commitment to sustaining policies that attract investment and support private sector development.
Signed
Febau Tamara.
SIPRO
FIC Asaba Delta State
7th July, 2025
