Lagos State has emerged as the highest-performing state in Nigeria’s 2025 Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report, achieving an 85.6% score, according to the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

PEBEC, a federal agency created to streamline business processes nationwide, described the Ease of Doing Business assessment as a comprehensive, data-driven review of regulatory efficiency, infrastructure quality and administrative processes across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT. The 2025 report evaluates 16 indicators and 36 sub-metrics, including:

• Taxation

• Skilled labour readiness.

• Electricity and Infrastructure Quality

• Digital Connectivity

• Land Administration and Taxation

• Trade Logistics

• Commercial Justice Delivery

• Investor Support

The leading states distinguished themselves through continuous reform momentum, the implementation of improved digital processes, and the establishment of more predictable regulatory systems, according to the Director General, Princess Mustapha-Audu.

The results, announced by PEBEC, Director-General Zahrah Mustapha-Audu and reported by the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, place Kaduna in second position with 65.1 per cent. Oyo, the Federal Capital Territory and Ogun follow with 62.7 per cent, 61.0 per cent and 59.9 per cent, respectively.

Enugu ranked sixth with 56.2 per cent, ahead of Plateau (56.2 per cent), Ekiti (55.8 per cent), Kano (54.8 per cent) and Nasarawa (53.4 per cent), completing the top ten.

PEBEC, a federal agency created to streamline business processes nationwide, described the Ease of Doing Business assessment as a comprehensive, data-driven review of regulatory efficiency, infrastructure quality and administrative processes across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT. The 2025 report evaluates 16 indicators and 36 sub-metrics, including electricity supply, digital connectivity, land administration, taxation, commercial justice delivery, trade logistics, investor support and skilled labour readiness.

According to Princess Mustapha-Audu, the leading states showed steady reform progress, stronger digital platforms and more predictable regulatory systems. She identified five priority interventions states can adopt immediately: establishing investor aftercare systems, expanding MSME credit enablement, harmonising interstate trade rules, upgrading commercial dispute resolution systems and improving power reliability within industrial clusters.

She added that PEBEC will continue supporting state-level reforms, particularly through the $750 million State Action on Business Enabling Reforms programme.

The Subnational EoDB Report, available on the council’s website, is expected to guide policy planning, investment decisions and long-term competitiveness.

NAN also reported the release of PEBEC’s 2025 Business Facilitation Act Performance Report, covering January to October. The assessment tracks compliance among 69 priority MDAs using monthly submissions, mystery shopping, website audits, ReportGov analytics and process-verification exercises.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board led the federal ranking with 90.6 per cent, followed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at 89 per cent. The Nigeria Customs Service placed third with 86.6 per cent, while the Nigerian Communications Commission and Nigerian Ports Authority recorded 85.3 per cent and 84.2 per cent, respectively.

Established in July 2016 and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, PEBEC oversees national business environment reforms, working to remove bureaucratic and legislative obstacles and improve the country’s global and domestic business perception.