The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has directed all federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately pause the introduction of new policies and major regulatory changes.
In a statement signed by the Director General of PEBEC, Zahra Auda, the council explained that this directive is in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening regulatory quality and improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
The pause will remain in effect until MDAs achieve full compliance with the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) framework.
The RIA framework, which was formally implemented in January 2025, requires that all new or amended policies undergo a rigorous review and approval process according to specific guidelines.
The PEBEC noted that the framework has already been circulated to all MDAs and is available on the PEBEC website.
It also emphasized that no new reforms will be allowed to proceed without clearance and evidence-based justification as provided under the framework.
While MDAs may seek guidance from the PEBEC Secretariat to support their implementation efforts, exceptions to this directive will only be granted in cases of urgent national interest.
This move aims to ensure that all institutional policy processes are aligned, preventing the introduction of regulations that could negatively impact the business environment without proper vetting.