C’River eyes $50m  World Bank Grant for SABER reforms

From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The Cross River State government has commenced the process of accessing at least  $50.1 million US dollars World Bank Grant.

The grant is part of the benefits that will accrue to the state by  the  enacting requisite  reforms through the State Action On Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) $750 million three year performance based intervention.

This was disclosed by a resource person, Dr. Paul Adepelumi in Calabar during a workshop on Stakeholder Engagement In Developing A Business Enabling Reforms Action Plan (BERAP) 2024.

The workshop also aimed at developing a framework for responsible & inclusive land intensive agricultural investments (FRILIA)  for Cross River State.

Dr. Adepelumi explained that the reforms must come from people who actually need it and also demystify the challenge people face in doing business.

He said through the workshop, the stakeholders will own the challenges, identity the issues, proffer solutions and the government steps in to implement them.

He disclosed that the $50.1 million  is not free and if the reforms processes are not set up, the state will not get it.

He added that Independent verification agents from the world bank will come to verify if the reforms has been institutionalized  as it is a result/performance based grant.

The state he said can get the grant within two years and the grant can potentially grow to about 70 billion billion naira within four years depending on results.

In her opening remarks, the state reform champion and Coordinator, Dr. Glory Effiong said  BERAP is a document designed by the the Presidential Enabling Business Environmental Council (PEBEC)  and approved by the World Bank.

She said state governments are to use this as a guide to develop ongoing and planned/proposed reform initiatives, programmes, and projects which if implemented will have positive impact on the Ease of Doing Business in the state and Nigeria.

She added that for the state to be qualified, the final BERAP document developed by the MDAs must be approved by the State Executive Council in the year 2023.

The eight disbursement linked indicators which will be deployed for the disbursement of the grant comprises improved land administration and land based investment process, improved regulatory framework for private investment in fibre optic infrastructure and improved services provided by investment promotion agencies/ public private partnership units.

Others are improved efficiency/transparency of government to business services, increased transparency of official fees/procedures, increased transparency of fees/levies for interstate trade/increased exporter certification, simplified state/local business tax regimes and quick determination of commercial disputes.

The SABER programme is a performance based intervention jointly implemented by the federal ministry of finance, budget and national planning and  Secretariat of PEBEC at the national.

Other partners are the Secretariat of Cross River State Enabling Business Environment Council, Debt Management Office and the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, supported with financing from the World Bank.

SABER seeks to incentivize and strengthen the implementation of business enabling Reforms covering land administration, regulatory framework for private investment in fibre optic infrastructure, public private partnership and investment promotion frameworks, tax administration and the business enabling regulatory environment.