The Nigerian Government Bodies That Performed Best and Worst in 2025

Nigeria’s push to make government services faster, clearer, and more transparent took centre stage again this year as the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) released its 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) performance report. 

The assessment, covering January to October 2025, shows a mixed picture of progress, inconsistency, and lingering institutional challenges across federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

The report examined how well government bodies obeyed service level agreements, handled complaints, automated their processes, and provided clear information to citizens and businesses. 

While some agencies showed impressive growth, others continued to struggle with delays, outdated systems, and poor coordination.

PEBEC described the overall results as “mixed responsiveness,” stressing that only sustained reforms and stronger digital systems will deliver the ease-of-doing-business Nigeria needs.

The Agencies leading the pack in 2025

A few government bodies stood out for their strong discipline, improved automation, and better customer-facing processes.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) claimed the top position with a remarkable score of 90.6 percent. 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) followed closely with 89.3 percent, while the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) secured third place at 86.6 percent.

Other high performers included the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Ports Authority, and National Information Technology Development Agency, all showing clear improvements in transparency and service efficiency. Agencies like the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency also showed steady progress, signalling that reforms are gaining ground in some sectors.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) rounded up the group of strong performers, demonstrating better clarity in processes and adherence to reporting guidelines.

Agencies sitting in the middle

A large group of MDAs landed in the average-performance zone. These institutions neither led nor collapsed, but their performance showed room for improvement.

Bodies like the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service fell into this category. 

Their scores reflected moderate compliance with the BFA’s requirements, but also highlighted gaps that must be closed.

Major service-heavy agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FRSC, and NAFDAC also sat in this middle range — a sign that essential public services still face problems related to speed, coordination, and digital readiness.

The struggling agencies

Some government institutions posted scores below the 50-percent benchmark, revealing deeper systemic problems. These include poor automation, slow complaint resolution, and weak documentation.

Agencies like the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NEXIM Bank, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission were among those struggling. 

Others such as NIMASA, the National Inland Waterways Authority, and the National Insurance Commission also appeared in this group.

What is clear from these results is that several agencies still operate with outdated systems and processes that frustrate both citizens and businesses.

The bottom of the table – Where reform is most urgent

The lowest-performing institutions showed very weak compliance with transparency and efficiency standards.

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the national collateral registry, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency all posted poor scores. 

They were joined near the bottom by the Bank of Industry, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority, the trademarks registry, and the Ministry of Interior.

The Nigeria Postal Service, Nigerian Copyright Commission, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Service Compact (SERVICOM), and the Federal Produce Inspection Service also recorded extremely low scores.

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) finished last with just 3 percent, a sign of major operational breakdowns.

Regional Trends – Who is leading and who is lagging?

Beyond the federal MDAs, PEBEC also reviewed ease-of-doing-business performance across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT. With over 39 million small businesses nationwide, state-level performance now plays a major role in economic growth.

The south-west emerged as the best-performing region, driven by stronger institutions and better adoption of technology. The north-central and south-east followed.

The north-east ranked the lowest, held back by years of structural challenges, although some states in the zone are beginning to show early signs of progress. The south-south delivered mixed results, while the north-west recorded wide disparities with a few standout states but many lagging ones.

What these results mean for Nigeria

The 2025 BFA report tells a simple story: Nigeria is improving, but slowly. Some agencies are modernising their systems and improving their services, but many others remain stuck in old practices.

For Nigeria to become more competitive and business-friendly, government bodies must adopt stronger automation, clearer processes, and stricter internal discipline. 

Citizens and businesses expect faster, more transparent services and the agencies leading the rankings have shown that progress is possible.