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Again, NCDMB Emerges Best Performing Agency
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has retained its position as the best performing Federal Government agency in the transparency and efficiency ranking for the year 2023.
Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President on Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and Investment, stated this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Oduwole stated that ranking was published in the overall Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Acts (BFA) performance results for the year 2023, which was released in Abuja.
According to her, NCDMB topped other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the Federal Government’s compliance ranking scale with 70.07 per cent score.
She quoted the BFA Compliance Report for January to December, 2023 as showing the top five MDAs with commendable performance to include NCDMB 70.07 per cent and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) 66.9per cent.
Oduwole said the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) had 65.12per cent to place third, while Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) had 65.04 per cent to occupy the fourth position.
“The Nigerian Export- Import (NEXIM) Bank finished the year on 63.51per cent to place fifth,” she added.
The PEBEC boss urged MDAs to take concrete steps to improve efficiency and transparency ratings before the end of the 2024 reporting period, as only 10 MDAs out 39 scored above 50 per cent.
“With only 10 MDAs scoring above 55 per cent and a weighted average score of 334.8 per cent across the 39 MDAs, strategic measures to enhance sector-specific metrics will need to be prioritised.
“MDAs must take concrete steps to improve efficiency and transparency ratings before the end of the 2024 reporting period.
“Most importantly, MDAs should as a matter of urgency set-up BFA Implementation Reform Committees.
“These committees will be responsible for steering BFA implementation initiatives in the MDAs, accelerating the strides taken in promoting a culture of transparency and accountability,” she said.
Oduwole urged the MDAs to draw insights from empirical data and past BFA reports (since 2018) to drive essential improvements in efficiency and transparency.
“The high-performing MDAs demonstrated commendable performance in both efficiency and transparency through diligent adherence to their Service Level Agreements (SLAs) during the 2023 reporting year.
“The overall performance of MDAs highlights the need for massive improvement in key BFA compliance metrics.
“Over the past seven years, PEBEC has consistently published Compliance Reports, providing an empirical analysis of the monthly reports from MDAs,” She said.
According to Oduwole, MDA’s EO1 performance score is based on efficiency and transparency measures, with a 70 per cent to 30 per cent ratio, respectively.
She said transparency, on the other hand, was assessed based on website updates, online service portals, detailed service information, timelines, costs, statutory requirements, and customer service contact details.
The PEBEC was established in July 2016 by the Federal Government to oversee Nigeria’s business environment intervention.
It had the dual mandate of removing bureaucratic and legislative constraints to doing business and improving perception of the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed confidence that the country would win the fight against insecurity.
The President gave the assurance at the Argungu International Fishing Festival in Argungu town, Kebbi State, on Saturday.
He noted that the relative peace currently being enjoyed in Kebbi and neighbouring states was the result of sustained investments in security intelligence, coordination among security agencies, and community engagement.
Tinubu assured farmers and fishermen of sustained federal support to guarantee food security and safety across the country.
“The peace we are witnessing today is not accidental. It is the outcome of deliberate and sustained efforts. I assure you that the fight against banditry, insurgency, and insecurity will be won.
“Our farmers, fishermen, traders, and families will go about their lawful activities without fear,” he assured.
The President commended the organisers of the festival for sustaining the cultural event for decades, noting that it had endured for 83 years despite social and security challenges.
Describing the Argungu festival as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence, Tinubu stated that it reflects the richness of the country’s culture and the opportunities to harness its natural and human resources for national growth.
He said, “Today, this festival stands as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence among our people.
“It reflects the richness of our culture, the strength of our traditions, and the opportunities inherent in harnessing our natural and human resources for national development.”
The President was received by a large crowd of residents, traditional rulers, fishermen, tourists, and government officials from across the country.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth and women empowerment, irrigation development, rural electrification, and agricultural productivity.
Earlier, the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, said his administration was determined to elevate the Argungu Fishing Festival to full international standards while pursuing aggressive development across critical sectors of the state.
The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed today, in observance of Presidents’ Day.
The mission made this known in a notice shared on its official X page, yesterday.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026, in observance of Presidents’ Day,” the post read.
According to the embassy, Presidents’ Day was originally established to honour the birthday of the former US President, George Washington, but has evolved into a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents and their leadership in shaping the country’s history.
The embassy noted that the holiday also recognises the influence of U.S. presidents on global affairs.
In a related message, the mission highlighted that Washington created the first “Badge of Military Merit,” which later became the Purple Heart. The medal still bears Washington’s image today.
Presidents’ Day is observed on the third Monday of February annually in the United States as a federal holiday.
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Guterres Backs Nigeria’s Bid For UN Security Council Seat …Hails Tinubu’s Reforms, Regional Security Role
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has charged Nigeria with spearheading Africa’s quest for a restructured global order, describing the country as uniquely positioned to lead the continent toward superpower status.
Guterres, who backed Nigeria’s bid for the world body’s security council seat, also praised the economic reforms of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration as well as Nigeria’s leadership in stabilising the Sahel and ECOWAS regions, despite facing its own security challenges.
The UN scribe made the remarks last Friday night during a high-level bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking during the meeting, Guterres said Nigeria’s large population, sustained democratic governance, vast natural and human resources, and longstanding commitment to multilateralism placed it in a unique position to lead Africa in the evolving global order.
“Given Nigeria’s demographic strength, democratic continuity and deep resource base, the country stands a real chance of leading Africa to becoming the next superpower in the evolving global architecture,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General and the vice president discussed key developments in Nigeria and the country’s expanding leadership role in promoting regional stability across West Africa and the Sahel.
Guterres commended the remarkable and outstanding reforms of the administration of President Tinubu, noting that Nigeria’s bold economic restructuring and security commitments have strengthened its continental standing.
The meeting focused on strengthening Nigeria–UN collaboration to advance global economic growth, peace and security, sustainable development, and a coordinated humanitarian response across Africa.
In his remarks, Shettima thanked the UN Secretary-General for his leadership in advancing global peace, noting that Africa has benefited immensely from his tenure, even as the United Nations undergoes internal restructuring.
“We remain committed to multilateralism and to deepening our partnerships with the United Nations and other global institutions,” the vice president said.
Shettima also reiterated Nigeria’s longstanding call for comprehensive reform of the United Nations system to reflect evolving global realities.
He emphasised that Africa must have stronger representation in global decision-making structures and declared that Nigeria deserves a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Both leaders pledged to deepen cooperation, with Guterres reaffirming the UN’s support for Nigeria’s reform agenda and its growing leadership role in advancing peace, security, and development across Africa.