The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, has launched the Government–Private Sector (GPS) Dialogue Series, a landmark platform designed to strengthen collaboration between policymakers and business leaders while aligning Nigeria’s economic reforms with the realities of everyday enterprise.
The maiden edition, themed “Finance and SME Growth Roundtable,” took place at Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos, bringing together industry captains, heads of federal agencies, market leaders, and key officials from the Lagos State Government. The initiative marks the beginning of a structured and ongoing dialogue between the government and Nigeria’s private sector, starting with the vibrant trading and entrepreneurial community of South East origin based in Lagos.
In her opening remarks, Uzoka-Anite reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She noted that the government must become “present, responsive, and accountable,” stressing that policies should be shaped with the people rather than for them. “The GPS Dialogue Series is a platform where the voices of entrepreneurs, innovators, and community leaders directly shape the priorities of governance,” she said.
She highlighted President Tinubu’s vision of building a business-friendly Nigeria anchored on partnership and reform. “We are transitioning from survival mode to influence mode,” she said. “Government can design policy, business can activate productivity, and together, we can build prosperity.”
The event featured robust engagements across key economic sectors, including interactive sessions with the Bank of Industry (BOI), Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), CREDICORP, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Customs Service, NOTAP, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
Agency representatives outlined several credit schemes, single-digit loans, and export financing products accessible to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), while traders and entrepreneurs shared practical feedback on financing challenges, taxation hurdles, import restrictions, and export readiness.
Market leaders hailed the initiative as “the first genuine collaboration between government and traders in decades,” expressing optimism about sustained engagement. They applauded Uzoka-Anite for “bringing government to the people” and pledged to work collectively to ensure the continuity of the dialogue.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, also joined the session, describing the GPS Dialogue as a model for participatory reform. He pledged full federal support, stating that “dialogue, timing, and consultation are the keys to effective reform,” while announcing forthcoming digital reforms, including the National Single Window Project aimed at streamlining trade and reducing import/export costs.
To ensure continued interaction, the Ministry of Finance launched a WhatsApp Coordination Forum to connect federal agencies, business associations, and traders for real-time policy engagement and problem-solving.
The event, which saw participation from major associations such as the Computer Village Technology Merchants (ACOVITEMN) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), underscored the growing commitment to public–private collaboration in driving economic transformation.
In her closing remarks, Uzoka-Anite emphasized that the GPS Dialogue Series will become a long-term tradition of transparency and partnership. “The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a slogan – it is a social contract,” she said. “When enterprise thrives, divisions fade. When opportunity is shared, hope is renewed. Together, we will make this the decade of Nigerian resurgence.”
The dialogue series signals a new phase in Nigeria’s economic reform journey—one built on inclusion, feedback, and sustained collaboration between government and business.
