By Chesa Chesa
The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday rose from its first meeting in 2022, firmly supporting the second iteration of the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report, due for launch later this year.
This was done in order to consolidate the gains of the previous subnational surveys on Nigeria’s business climate, said a statement issued at the end of the 122nd physical meeting of the Council at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
The meeting also had in attendance State Governors, the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Bello and the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, and the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, among others.
The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, who made a presentation to Council on the Subnational Doing Business Project and State Action on Business Enabling Reform (SABER) Programme, noted that the second iteration of the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report will deepen the scope of the reforms based on what private sector is saying about the business climate in Nigeria.
According to Oduwole, the initial criteria (framework) focused on security and infrastructure, transparency and access to information, the regulatory environment, and skills and workforce readiness.
She explained that the second edition will include economic opportunity, and level of digitization, just to deepen the scope based on private-sector ideas regarding improving the business climate in Nigeria.
The Council also received an update presentation on the State Performance Report on Disease Outbreaks in Nigeria by the Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Ifedayo Adetifa.
It was informed that as of 19th January 2022, a total of 251,341 cases were tested while 23,939 active cases were recorded and 224,939 discharged.
There was also an update report on the outbreak of Lassa Fever with reported increasing number of cases from Bauchi, Oyo, with recorded fatalities in Nasarawa(2) and Benue(1) States in the last 7 weeks.
States were urged to improve enforcement of proper environmental sanitation; activation of Lassa Fever testing laboratories; sustain funding for Lassa Fever response; provision of local sample transportation framework, and equip treatment centres to manage complicated cases.
Other highlights of the NEC meeting was an update on the Excess Crude Account, which stands $35,868,086.40; Stabilization Account(N30, 685, 611, 413.79);3. Development Of Natural Resources Account (N42, 820,382,381.40); all as at January 17, 2022.
The NEC noted that a “demographic dividend” can deliver massive economic growth, poverty reduction and human development. The demographic dividend arises when there is a favourable age structure with larger shares of workers and smaller shares of dependents.
The Demographic Transition is where the necessary conditions to capture a demographic dividend are created. This is characterized by declines in child mortality and fertility.
·”The more rapid the fertility decline, the sooner and the larger is the demographic dividend.
“We recognize the importance of investing in adolescent girls to accelerate Nigeria’s demographic transition
“Adolescents constitute population age 10 -19 years and by estimate, represent 23.4% of the total population of Nigeria.
“Meeting adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health and educational needs can fast-track Nigeria’s journey from being a pre-dividend to early dividend country”, the meeting observed.
The NEC therefore, asked State Governments to keep adolescent girls in school through the following:
*Adopt and implement free and compulsory education for girls: at least a completion of Senior Secondary Education in all the 36 states and the FCT. E.g., Conditional Cash transfers to ensure girls stay in school.
