Cross River Hosts Town Hall on Ease of Doing Business Reforms
By Missang Akpet
Cross River State has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a more business-friendly environment by hosting a town hall meeting and stakeholder engagement session under the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) initiative. The event aimed to promote awareness and support for the federal government’s Ease of Doing Business reforms.
Speaking during the engagement, the SABER Reform Champion and Accountant General of Cross River State, Dr. (Mrs.) Glory Effiong, highlighted the state’s remarkable progress in improving its business climate. She noted that Cross River rose from 35th position in 2022 to first place in the 2024 ranking by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
Dr. Effiong attributed this success to a series of strategic reforms, including the digitalization of land acquisition processes, which now allow investors to apply for and obtain Certificates of Occupancy online—without physical contact. She also cited the harmonization of taxes to curb multiple taxation and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks.
“These reforms are already yielding results,” she said. “We’ve seen a steady influx of investors, and this is gradually transforming Cross River from a civil service-driven economy into a truly business-oriented state.”
In an interview, PEBEC Reform Leader, Ms. Kris Ekanem, explained that the council was established in 2016 to identify and eliminate bureaucratic and legislative barriers to doing business in Nigeria. She emphasized the critical role of stakeholder engagement in sustaining reforms and building investor confidence across the country.
“The aim is not just to improve statistics but to change the real business experience in Nigeria,” Ekanem stated. “Collaborating with states like Cross River is key to achieving that.”
Also speaking at the event, David Etim, Project Implementation Team Leader for the Calabar and Gulf of Guinea Municipality and Trade Centre Project, stressed that economic growth is closely tied to an enabling business environment. He noted that Cross River has the potential to emerge as Nigeria’s largest economy if relevant agencies embrace and implement ease of doing business reforms effectively.
“This is about aligning government institutions to support growth, not hinder it,” Etim said.
The town hall meeting underscores Cross River State’s alignment with national efforts to improve Nigeria’s economic competitiveness by creating a more transparent, efficient, and responsive business environment.
