PEBEC Puts Institutional Reform At Centre of Tinubu’s Economic Bet

By Jennete Ugo Anya

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) is making the case that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform record should be assessed not only through today’s economic pain, but through the institutions and business-enabling systems being built to support longer-term growth.

The Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, said that Nigeria is passing through a consequential period in which the administration has chosen reform over postponement, despite the hardship associated with some of its policies.

DEVELOPMENT:

Audu argued that the removal of the petrol subsidy and efforts to address foreign exchange distortions represented a departure from decades of deferring difficult economic decisions.

She acknowledged the hardship caused by the reforms but said leadership sometimes requires accepting the difficulty of adjustment today to avoid greater structural failure tomorrow.

She also highlighted PEBEC’s work to reduce bureaucratic delays, unpredictable regulations and the cost of doing business, describing these reforms as critical to attracting investment and improving Nigeria’s competitiveness.

Audu, who is also National Publicity Secretary of the City Boy Movement, described Tinubu as “Nigeria’s greatest-ever leader,” while acknowledging that his work remains unfinished and that history’s final verdict on his administration cannot yet be written.

DATA:

The administration’s stated economic ambition is to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030. PEBEC’s contribution to that objective centres on regulatory and institutional reforms rather than direct fiscal intervention.

Its mandate includes streamlining regulations, improving government processes and reducing bureaucratic barriers to business.

Recent initiatives have focused on reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks, expanding digital government services and strengthening accountability across government agencies.

SIGNIFICANCE:

For investors, the quality of Nigeria’s business environment can be as consequential as the size of its market. Delays, inconsistent regulations and inefficient government processes increase transaction costs and weaken investment confidence.

PEBEC’s argument is therefore that economic reform cannot be measured exclusively by immediate indicators such as prices and household pressure. Institutional reform determines whether businesses can operate more predictably and whether private capital can support sustainable growth.

The challenge, however, is converting administrative reforms into measurable reductions in the cost, time and uncertainty associated with doing business.

NEXT MOVE:

The key indicators will be whether PEBEC’s reforms produce demonstrable improvements in government service delivery, regulatory consistency and business costs.

Progress towards the $1 trillion economy target will also provide a broader test of whether the administration’s institutional and macroeconomic reforms are translating into sustained private-sector investment and productivity.

OUR LENS:

PEBEC is effectively asking Nigerians and investors to judge reform not only by its immediate discomfort, but by the institutional architecture it leaves behind.

That argument has merit, but it also creates a higher standard of accountability. Institutions cannot become an excuse for weak outcomes. They must demonstrate that reform is actually reducing friction for businesses and improving the productive capacity of the economy.

Audu’s broader point is that Tinubu’s legacy will ultimately be determined by what survives his tenure. For PEBEC, that means building a government that is easier to navigate, more predictable for investors and more capable of supporting private-sector-led growth.

The deeper test is therefore whether institution-building can convert today’s painful adjustment into tomorrow’s stronger economic capacity.

Jennete Ugo Anya is a journalist and researcher with interests across Nigeria’s economy, public policy, business, development and strategic communications.