Lagos State has secured the top position in Nigeria’s 2025 Subnational Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) ranking, emerging as the country’s most business-friendly environment with a score of 85.6%. The rating was released by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) as part of its latest national assessment.
Kaduna State followed in second place with 65.1%, while Oyo took third with 62.7%. The Federal Capital Territory (61.0%) and Ogun State (59.9%) rounded off the top five performers.
PEBEC’s Director-General, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, described the leading states as pace-setters, noting that their progress was driven by consistent reforms and improved adoption of digital systems. She explained that the report provides “a vital reference point for policy makers and a guide for private investors.”
The survey evaluated all 36 states and the FCT across 16 key indicators, which include electricity supply, land administration processes, digital connectivity, security, and effectiveness of the justice system.
According to the report, states can strengthen their business environments further by prioritising investor support, harmonising interstate trade rules, enhancing dispute resolution mechanisms, and improving electricity reliability in industrial corridors.
Top 10 Performing States (2025 EoDB Report)
1. Lagos – 85.6%
2. Kaduna – 65.1%
3. Oyo – 62.7%
4. FCT – 61.0%
5. Ogun – 59.9%
6. Enugu – 56.2%
7. Plateau – 56.2%
8. Ekiti – 55.8%
9. Kano – 54.8%
10. Nasarawa – 53.4%
PEBEC also unveiled its 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Performance Report, which ranked the NCDMB, NDLEA, and Nigeria Customs Service as the top three federal agencies demonstrating high levels of transparency, operational efficiency, and improved service delivery.
Established in 2016 and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, PEBEC was created to reduce bureaucratic barriers and enhance the ease of doing business nationwide. The full 2025 report has been made available on the council’s official website.
