Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
Lagos — The Ministry of Finance Incorporated, MoFI, and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, aimed at managing and optimising federal government assets and attracting investments.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, in a State House press release, said the collaboration aligns with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment reforms, which aim to streamline government operations. According to the statement, the partnership seeks to establish a clear framework for cooperation, ensuring the effective delivery of the respective mandates of MoFI and BPE.
The signing ceremony which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja was overseen by Ibrahim Hadejia, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President.
Hadejia highlighted the necessity of the partnership, citing recent reforms in MOFI that led to overlaps with BPE’s responsibilities.
“We are here today for the joint signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between MOFI and the BPE. This is a result of the federal government’s reform of MOFI, which redefined some of its roles and created new mandates. We identified some overlaps between the new MOFI mandate and what the BPE is doing,” he said.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of MOFI, Dr. Amstrong Takang, emphasised the importance of outlining responsibilities between the two entities for efficient service delivery.
He said: “The reform of MOFI had led to the need to clearly define the relationship between both government’s entities for more effective delivery. This will ensure a more effective delivery of our respective mandates, especially at a time like this when the government needs all the resources to deliver on good governance and optimise its assets. We are very excited about the new phase in our relationship.”
Ignatius Ayewoh, Acting Director General of BPE expressed optimism about the collaboration, highlighting its role in fostering an investment-friendly environment in Nigeria. He noted the importance of legal and regulatory certainty for investors, affirming the commitment of both agencies to uphold transparency and efficiency.
“This event signifies that Nigeria is an investment-friendly clime. The BPE recognises deeply that investors want where there is a legal and regulatory relationship between the agencies of government. We are excited to move ahead, and together we will make sure that is not undermined in international business relationships,” Ayewoh said.
