Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on state governments, federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the organised private sector, and development partners to intensify efforts toward strengthening Nigeria’s business environment, insisting that national prosperity depends on sustained collaboration across all sectors.

Speaking in Abuja at the PEBEC Gala and Awards Night, organised by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), the Vice President said the reforms recorded this year reflect “the triumph of collaboration over silos,” and urged stakeholders to build on the gains of 2025.

In a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the VP said “the end of this night does not signal the end of your pursuit of excellence because excellence is a culture, not an event. It lives only where it is nurtured.

“In the new year, let us do even more to advance the reform agenda for Nigeria’s business environment.

Let us build a nation where efficiency is normal, where transparency is routine, and where excellence is the governing creed of public service”.

He noted that the success of the administration’s reforms, anchored on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, relies heavily on the dedication of public servants, whom he praised for refusing to accept mediocrity in the drive to improve ease of doing business.

According to Shettima, excellence is cultivated through discipline and the refusal to settle for the minimum.

“Public service can and must be synonymous with excellence,” he added, describing the awards night as a celebration of individuals and institutions that have embraced the administration’s reform ethos.

The Vice President also highlighted interagency coordination as a key driver of progress, citing the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee (PCEC) as an example of reforms “already bearing significant fruit” through the introduction of joint port inspection procedures designed to reduce delays and improve efficiency.

Earlier, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, declared that PEBEC under Shettima’s leadership has continued to deliver reforms that are “incrementally impacting businesses across different sectors.”

He, however, cautioned that the work ahead remains substantial, adding that every milestone achieved forms the basis for even deeper reforms.

Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Audu, outlined the agency’s achievements over the past year, attributing the successes to strengthened partnerships with MDAs and state governments.

She said PEBEC’s reform drive has been deliberately structured into its service delivery framework, ensuring that collaboration remains central to progress.

The event also featured the unveiling of the 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Compliance Report and the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report.

Awards were presented in several categories, including Access to Justice, Legislative Trailblazer, Leadership of Action, and Business Advocacy and Partnership.

The ceremony drew top government officials and industry leaders, including the Deputy Governors of Benue and Enugu States, Dr Sam Ode and Mr Ifeanyi Ossai; Chairman of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd.); Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida; Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr Pius Akutah; and Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho.