The Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Bank, on Tuesday flagged off the commencement of the 2025 National Sensitization Workshop on the $750 million States Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER).
The initiative aims to enhance private investment in telecoms sector through fibre optic deployment, and strengthening regulatory frameworks to support growth by incentivizing state-level reforms to improve Nigeria’s business climate.
Also, the SABER programme aims to improve transparency and efficiency in government-to-business services, reducing the complexity and uncertainty that can often hinder business operations.
Declaring the workshop open in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Lydia Jafiya, explained the significance of the programme in fostering economic growth through business-friendly reforms, assuring the government’s commitment to using the SABER to creating an enabling environment that promotes business competitiveness and attractiveness.
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According to her, the programme is a critical component of the government’s efforts to enhance the business climate and drive economic growth.
She disclosed that so far, 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had signed the Subsidiary Loan Agreement (SLA) under the SABER programme while 28 states had received between $1 million and $4 million in prior results disbursements, totalling $68.36 million.
While noting that the some states are facing challenges in the implementation of the reforms, Jafiya promised that the Federal Government would continue to support states in their efforts to improve the business environment and attract investments.”
She charged the coordinators and others involved in the programme’s implementation on transparency and accountability, stressing that “we must ensure that the programme’s objectives are achieved in a transparent and accountable manner.”
The Permanent Secretary pointed out that by streamlining processes for land acquisition and ownership, the programme would reduce bureaucratic hurdles and make it easier for businesses to operate through the strengthening of investment promotion agencies and public-private partnership units in view of their roles in attracting investment and driving economic growth.
Jafiya clarified: “The programme builds on the successes of the States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) initiative, which promoted fiscal transparency and accountability at the sub-national level. The SABER programme’s disbursements are contingent upon annual verification by an Independent Verification Agent (IVA), ensuring that states meet agreed reform milestones.”
In her remarks, the Programme Leader for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions at the World Bank, Bertine Kamphuis, harped on the need for additional technical assistance, including in-person and smaller technical group meetings, to deepen participants’ understanding on the SABER programme’s implementation process
Similarly, the National Programme Coordinator of the SABER programme, Dr. Ali Mohammed, spoke on on the programme’s financial structure, stressing that the $750 million budget encompasses not only Programme-for-Results (P4R) disbursements but also capacity building for state officials and implementation partners.
Analysts believe that as the Federal Government continues with sundry business reforms, the SABER programme will play a critical role in enhancing the business environment and promoting economic growth.
