The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council has recognised the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board as the overall top-performing agency of the federal government for 2025, followed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

The announcement was made during the council’s Awards and Gala Night on Tuesday, held at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja.

The award celebrates exceptional public service delivery, reform excellence, and collaborative efforts toward improving Nigeria’s business environment.

Other agencies that made the list of the Top Five MDAs category include the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Communication Commission and the Nigerian Ports Authority, respectively.

Other awards categories during the night include the plaque of Cooperation, clinched by NAFDAC, Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority NEPZA and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service.

Benue clinched the plaque of Collaboration Award, while Lagos topped the State Business Excellence Award, followed by Kaduna and Oyo States.

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association got the Business Advocacy and Partnership Award, and the Development Partnership for Business Enablement Award was given to the European Union.

Some individuals who won big at the award night included Abubakar Dantsoho, managing director of NPA, for the Leadership in Action Award, and Ahmed Lere, chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, for the Legislative Trailblazer Award.

The Business Enablement Award was clinched by Ibrahim Hadejia, deputy chief of staff to the president (office of the vice-president).

Earlier, the director-general of PEBEC, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, said the event was to honour outstanding institutions and individuals and to reflect on the shared life stories of successes achieved so far.

“Today we celebrate the courage to reform, the discipline to deliver, and the belief that Nigeria can offer a world-class business environment that inspires confidence, drives investment, and creates economic opportunity for all our citizens. 

“This evening is not merely an awards ceremony; it is a powerful affirmation of possibilities, honouring the champions who have moved beyond compliance, embracing excellence as the new standard for public service delivery. The achievements we acknowledge are the tangible result of collective resolve to make Nigeria the most attractive and predictable competitive destination for business in Africa.

“Under the unwavering leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, and the active chairmanship of Vice-President Senator Kashim Shettima, our reform efforts have been characterised by intentionality, accountability, and the strategic deployment of data. We understand that to fix the operational environment for businesses, we must first fix the government’s framework,” she said.

In his speech, Mr Shettima, chairman of PEBEC, said the council was committed to ensuring a business environment and a public service that is synonymous with excellence.

Mr Shettima, while congratulating the recipients, said the event was a celebration of public servants who have refused to accept mediocrity in nation building.

(NAN)