Enabling Business Environment

The business enabling environment (BEE) work of SEDIN focusses on the removal of constraints in the business regulatory and institutional environment to make the business climate friendlier, less cumbersome and easy to comply with for MSMEs. The BEE intervention is posed to facilitate and promote reforms targeted at strengthening the capacities of stakeholders (both public and private sector) to better advocate, initiate and implement reforms that result in improved performance of MSMEs, increase income and employment generation. The Business enabling environment reforms operates on four thematic areas: Land Administration: obtaining construction permit; Company registration, Taxation, enforcement of contracts: Commercial dispute resolution. Owing to the overarching goal(s) of the project, our work serves as a lynchpin between the private sector (business community/MSMEs) and government agencies as they jointly work together through the process of initiation of reforms, trainings and public private dialogue. Basically, BEE support approach on all thematic areas are structured in similar pattern which includes supporting both parties with evidence of the problem and proper diagnosis of the problem (research), providing platforms for dialogue and facilitating a meaningful discourse (Public-Private Dialogue – PPD), enhancing capacity to deliver reforms (technical support and trainings) and increasing awareness on reforms. This support approach is explained further in the diagram below

Objective

To support reforms that protect MSMEs from unfavorable tax conditions e.g. payment of illegal and excessive taxes, levies and charges, harassment by tax officials as well as promote voluntary tax compliance

Partners

State Internal Revenue Service (Plateau, Ogun and Niger)
State Ministry of Commerce and/or Investment
Local Government authorities
Business Development Committees (BDCs)

Initiatives

  • Supported various Public private dialogues to identify key issues/ reform needs and agree with stakeholders on best approach to resolve them.
  • Institutional strengthening for government agencies towards effective implementation of reforms
  • Tax for service initiative in Plateau
  • Improved service delivery in public institutions through technical support and capacity building.
  • Promote tax education for the private sector through awareness raising, engagement at all levels and sensitization.
  • Increased voluntary tax compliance by the private sector/ business community

Niger and Plateau states has since 2017 signed into law the tax Harmonization bill and currently implementing the law in the state.

Objective

To support reforms that encourages the formalization of the private sector through the removal of administrative bottlenecks/ procedures  and improved service delivery in land administration in partner states.

Partners

State Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning
Ministry of Lands and Housing, Bureau of Lands, Survey and Town planning
NIGIS (Niger State Information System), Plateau State: PLAGIS (Plateau Geographic Information System)
Niger State Doing Business Action Team (main topic: access to Land)
Niger Urban Development Board (NUDB)
Business Advocacy Group (BAG)

Initiatives

  • Supported Advocacy Groups and public-private dialogues in the identification of key land administration reform needs and agree on strategies to address identified issues
  • Conducted time in motion study to ascertain the impact of government reforms and identify gaps
  • Engaged consultants to review and present the 2010 World Bank Doing Business Report for advocacy on land acquisition and registration in Niger and Plateau states
  • Conducted Enterprise Surveys on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in all partner states, including follow-up activities
  • Revamping of the geographic information system (GIS) in partner states
  • Promote communication symmetry amongst stakeholders and the public.

Objective

To support reforms that encourages the formalization of the private sector through improved service delivery and removal of administrative bottlenecks/ procedures in Business /cooperative registration in partner states.

Partners

Corporate Affairs Commission CAC
State one stop shops (Niger and Ogun state)
State Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Plateau State Microfinance Development Agency (PLASMIDA)

Initiatives

  • MSME education and sensitization on the importance of formalizing their businesses which has led to increase in registered businesses and cooperatives in partner states.
  • Advocacy and engagement with the public sector through policy dialogues on the simplification of registration procedures (to save time and cost)
  • Promote cooperatives registration as one formidable platform to access finance and galvanize voices on issues affecting MSMEs
  • Facilitated the setting up of State One-Stop Shops (OSS) linking key Ministries, Departments and Agencies to minimize the need for multiple contact points and reduce time and opportunities for corrupt practices in the interaction between public and private stakeholders
  • Institutional Strengthening of the public sector for improved service delivery through capacity building and peer learning.
  • Support to key government stakeholders to organise events that facilitates investment at state level: supported the 1st Edition of Niger State Business and Investment summit in 2014
  • Provided institutional support and advisory services to the Niger state one stop investment Centre

Objective

To provide technical support to MSMEs towards exploring alternative dispute resolution mechanism for the enforcement of contracts and other legal commercial transactions.

Partners

State Ministry of Justice- Mediation Centre
Multi door courts
The judiciary
Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators

Initiatives

  • Development and publication of contract guide manual for small businesses
  • Training of selected staff of the Ministry of Justice, business community, the chamber of commerce and the judiciary on mediation and conciliation
  • MSME education and sensitization on the commercial dispute resolution option
  • Supported the setting up of Multi-door court house in the state
  • Provision of mediators’ logbook for trained mediators