The federal government has launched a new platform aimed at bolstering collaboration between state policy-makers and business leaders. At the first session of the Government–Private Sector (GPS) Dialogue series, the meeting, themed “Finance and SME Growth Roundtable”, brought together the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka‑Anite, industry captains, heads of federal agencies and Lagos State officials in Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, Minister Uzoka-Anite reaffirmed the current administration’s commitment to being present, responsive, and accountable. She stressed that policy must not be written for the people, but with them, describing the GPS Dialogue series as a platform where the voices of entrepreneurs, innovators, and community leaders directly shape the priorities of governance.
During the discussion, the minister highlighted the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a Nigeria that is business-friendly, founded on partnership and reform. “We are transitioning from survival mode to influence mode. Government can design policy, business can activate productivity, and together, we can build prosperity,” she said.
Representatives from agencies including the Bank of Industry (BOI), Nigerian Export‑Import Bank (NEXIM), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) showcased credit schemes, low-interest loans and export-financing products aimed at fueling enterprise growth. Businesses, meanwhile, raised real-world concerns about taxation, import/export procedures and access to finance.
Market leaders at the event described the session as “the first genuine collaboration between government and traders in decades.” Several appreciated the initiative for bringing government to the people and committed to collective action to ensure follow-through.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, joined the forum and emphasised that “dialogue, timing, and consultation are the keys to effective reform.” He announced upcoming digital reforms, including the National Single Window Project aimed at streamlining trade procedures and reducing costs for importers and exporters.
By the end of the event, a WhatsApp Coordination Forum was launched to maintain ongoing engagement between federal agencies, traders and business associations, signalling that this dialogue isn’t just symbolic but designed for continuity.
With participation from Lagos State’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives and major associations like the Computer Village Technology Merchants’ Association (ACOVITEMN) and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the programme underscored a shared commitment to drive Nigeria’s economic transformation through cooperation.
Viewed through an economic lens, the Dialogue series aims to unlock productivity by linking policy to private-sector capacity. By addressing key barriers such as access to credit, inefficient trade processes and regulatory hurdles, the initiative could help expand SME growth, increase export earnings and stimulate employment, all of which are vital to Nigeria’s broader goal of sustainable growth and economic resilience.
