The implementation of the fifth National Action Plan (NAP 5.0) has been put on hold due to the work disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The 60-day accelerators which was initially billed to run from February 5 to April 4, 2020, witnessed several disruptions and eventually stopped at day 38.
According to Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business and Secretary of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), the reforms were targeted at improving the Nigerian business climate and supporting the SME business community.
Oduwole said in a statement released on Wednesday, that the PEBEC secretariat still maintains phone contacts with SMEs across the country, in spite of the lockdown.
“During the lockdown, the PEBEC Secretariat has maintained close contact with small and medium-sized businesses and key organized private sector bodies nationwide, and have spoken to over 650 SMEs by phone so far to listen to their most pressing needs during this crisis as well as communicate relief measures already being implemented by the Federal Government to support SMEs at this critical time”.
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She stated that the implementation of the National Action Plan reforms would resume immediately the pandemic was over.
She added that in spite of the disruptions, certain reforms had already been implemented like the LIRS automation of tax registration, filing and electronic payment of taxes for MSMEs, as well as technical support to the Edo and Kano states judiciary.
The PEBEC was established by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 to oversee Nigeria’s business climate reform agenda and is chaired by His Excellency the Vice President, with the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment as Vice Chair, among other members.