The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has announced plans to assess the impact of the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms on businesses, employment, investment, and Nigeria’s global competitiveness at its 2026 Employers’ Summit, scheduled to take place in Abuja from 29 to 30 June. The association said the summit would also develop practical policy recommendations aimed at improving the business environment and accelerating the country’s economic growth.
Announcing the programme for the summit in a statement issued on Friday, Director-General Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde said the event would convene policymakers, business leaders, development partners, and other key industry stakeholders to evaluate the outcomes of the reforms, identify policy gaps affecting businesses, and recommend measures to drive sustainable economic transformation.
Oyerinde said that although the reforms were introduced to address long-standing structural challenges within the economy, many businesses continue to grapple with significant operational difficulties that require sustained government attention and more effective implementation of supportive economic and industrial policies.
According to him, businesses across the country are contending with rising energy costs, exchange rate volatility, persistent inflation, inadequate infrastructure, regulatory bottlenecks, and weak consumer demand, all of which continue to constrain business performance and expansion.
He added that, despite improvements in some macroeconomic indicators, many enterprises, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), remain under severe financial and operational pressure.
“The summit will critically examine the effectiveness of ongoing economic reforms and identify measures required to strengthen enterprise competitiveness and improve the operating environment for businesses,” Oyerinde said.
He explained that deliberations at the summit would focus on industrial policy implementation, ease of doing business initiatives, tax administration reforms, sustainability reporting requirements, and strategies to enhance enterprise productivity while promoting inclusive economic growth.
According to him, the summit will also produce actionable recommendations designed to strengthen policy implementation and deliver improved economic outcomes for businesses, workers, and the wider economy.
Oyerinde further announced that one of the summit’s major highlights would be the launch of the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Implementation Guide for MSMEs, developed by NECA in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO).
He said the guide would support MSMEs in integrating environmental, social, and governance principles into their operations in response to the evolving expectations of investors, regulators, financial institutions, and the marketplace.
“We are optimistic that the summit will contribute meaningfully to shaping policy direction and strengthening Nigeria’s economic future,” Oyerinde said.
He added that the organised private sector remains committed to collaborating with the government to build a more competitive, productive, and prosperous economy through policies that promote enterprise sustainability, decent work, industrial development, and inclusive growth.
Oyerinde reaffirmed NECA’s commitment to constructive engagement with government and other stakeholders to enhance enterprise sustainability, attract investment, improve productivity, and create more decent employment opportunities across the country.
