Lagos Leads In 2025 Ease Of Doing Business – Report

Lagos State has emerged as Nigeria’s most business-friendly state in the 2025 Subnational Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Report released by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

The report, which assessed all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ranked Lagos first with an 85.6 per cent performance score, far ahead of Kaduna in second place with 65.1 per cent. Oyo placed third with 62.7 per cent, followed by the FCT at 61.0 per cent and Ogun at 59.9 per cent.

Enugu and Plateau jointly occupied sixth position with 56.2 per cent each, while Ekiti placed eighth with 55.8 per cent. Kano and Nasarawa completed the top 10 with 54.8 per cent and 53.4 per cent, respectively.

The 2025 EoDB Report assessed state performance across 16 indicators and 36 sub-metrics covering electricity supply, infrastructure, digital connectivity, land administration, taxation, trade logistics, justice delivery, investor support and skilled labour readiness.

PEBEC stated that the top-ranking states distinguished themselves through consistent reform momentum, improved digital processes, and more predictable regulatory environments.

The report also identified five urgent reform priorities for states, including the establishment of investor aftercare systems, strengthening MSME credit access, harmonising interstate trade rules, upgrading commercial justice processes and improving power reliability for industrial clusters.

PEBEC’s Director-General, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, stated that the report lays the groundwork for deeper reforms, informed policy decisions, and long-term competitiveness across Nigeria.

The release of the EoDB report coincided with the publication of PEBEC’s 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Performance Report, which assessed the compliance of 69 federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with transparency and service efficiency standards between January and October 2025.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) emerged as the best-performing MDA with a 90.6 per cent score, followed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at 89.3 per cent and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at 86.6 per cent. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) ranked second and third, respectively, with 85.3% and 84.2%.

“These agencies stood out for strong compliance with statutory obligations, digital process optimisation, predictable service levels and improved responsiveness to citizens and businesses,” PEBEC said.

Princess Audu urged MDAs to use the report to deepen their commitment to delivering predictable, technology-driven and globally competitive services to the business community.

PEBEC was established in July 2016 and is chaired by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima. The Council oversees reforms aimed at removing bureaucratic bottlenecks and improving Nigeria’s business environment.

Both the 2025 Subnational EoDB Report and the BFA Performance Report are available for public download on PEBEC’s official website.