Borno traders task PEBEC on rehabilitation of dilapidated Int’l routes
Trans-border traders in Borno State, under the aegis of the Borno State Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA), have called on the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) to urgently facilitate the rehabilitation of key international road networks to revive regional trade. The President of BOCCIMA, Ahmed Ashemi, made the appeal during a […]
Trans-border traders in Borno State, under the aegis of the Borno State Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA), have called on the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) to urgently facilitate the rehabilitation of key international road networks to revive regional trade.
The President of BOCCIMA, Ahmed Ashemi, made the appeal during a town hall meeting between PEBEC, private sector operators and business-enabling government institutions in Maiduguri on Tuesday.
According to him, the deplorable condition of major international routes linking Maiduguri to Gambarou Ngala, Baga, Banki, Monguno and Damasak—corridors connecting Nigeria with Niger, Cameroon and Chad—is hindering cross-border trade and economic activities.
“We are basically a trading society. Our trans-border business depends on efficient transportation networks that allow goods and services to move from Maiduguri to destinations as far as the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa and Eritrea in East Africa. Unfortunately, these roads have remained the primary obstacle to expanding our trade volume,” Ashemi said.
He noted that the poor state of the highways has severely restricted the movement of goods and services, thereby limiting business growth and reducing potential government revenue.
Ashemi also identified insecurity as a major factor contributing to the decline in the volume of cross-border trade within the region.
“In the past, when military and security personnel provided escorts for traders, as many as 600 trucks departed Maiduguri weekly for neighbouring countries through informal trade routes,” he recalled.
Earlier, the Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Audu, urged the Borno State Government to intensify business-friendly reforms aimed at addressing challenges faced by entrepreneurs and attracting more investments.
Audu said local businesses would thrive if state governments implemented reforms that promote investment, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and create a conducive environment for enterprise growth.
“This programme was organised in conjunction with the Borno State Government. The Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Audu, considered it necessary to embark on this second round of subnational engagements at the state level,” she said.
She explained that the engagement was designed to assess ongoing reform efforts by government agencies and provide a platform for dialogue between policymakers and private sector operators.
“It is divided into two parts. The first session focuses on engaging business-enabling ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) at the state level to assess reforms already implemented and identify additional measures required to improve the ease of doing business.
“The second session provides an opportunity for the organised private sector to interact with these MDAs, highlight their challenges and gain awareness of reforms and initiatives that businesses can leverage,” she said.
Audu disclosed that PEBEC had developed several recommendations to help states improve their business environment and competitiveness.
“So far, we have introduced investment-friendly reforms that states can adopt to improve the ease of doing business. We have also engaged them on the need to harmonise fees and levies at both state and local government levels, as well as improve business ranking mechanisms.
“Additionally, we introduced the regulatory impact analysis framework, which is already operational at the federal level, and encouraged states to adopt a similar approach,” she added.
She assured stakeholders that PEBEC would continue to monitor progress and engage relevant authorities to ensure the implementation of agreed reforms.
“Following this engagement, we will continue to track progress and work closely with the state government to ensure that the challenges identified are addressed.
“Ultimately, our subnational ranking system will assess states based on the extent to which they have created an enabling environment for businesses to thrive,” Audu said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Borno State Investment Promotion Agency (Borno Invest), Sa’id Kori, commended PEBEC for spearheading reforms aimed at improving the business climate across the country.
“The presence of PEBEC and the SABER project in Maiduguri underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to subnational business-enabling reforms, and Borno is proud to be at the forefront of these efforts,” he said.
Kori stated that the state had recorded significant progress under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum through the implementation of key business reforms.
“We have made significant progress. Under the visionary leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, with the active support of the Deputy Governor, we have domesticated key reforms, including the full implementation of the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme in collaboration with the World Bank, as well as the operationalisation of the Business Enabling Reforms Action Plan (BERAP).
“Our goal is simple: to reduce the cost and time of doing business, eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, and provide a seamless, transparent and predictable regulatory environment for every investor,” he said.
Kori further pledged the agency’s commitment to working closely with PEBEC and other stakeholders to improve the ease of doing business in the state.
“As Chairman of Borno Invest, I can assure you that our agency stands ready to work hand in hand with PEBEC, the SABER project and all relevant MDAs to harmonise fees, simplify regulations and improve the investor experience from entry to exit,” he added.