Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday announced that Nigeria is now working to reduce cargo dwell time from an average of 21 days to seven days by 2026.

He disclosed this at the 2025 Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC Awards held in Abuja.

“If we have been able to achieve joint inspections this year, then I believe, with absolute conviction, that we can reach and surpass our goal of seven days by 2026,” he said.

Shettima also urged that Nigeria’s public service must continue to embrace a culture of excellence to sustain ongoing reforms aimed at improving the country’s business environment.

He noted that excellence in governance does not emerge by chance but through deliberate effort, discipline, and an intolerance for mediocrity.

“Excellence is cultivated, not inherited. It is the result of criticism, of dispute, of a refusal to settle for the bare minimum,” he said. “Tonight, we honour the men and women proving that public service can and must be synonymous with excellence.”

The Vice President praised public officials across ministries, departments, and agencies who have contributed to key reforms under PEBEC, saying their work “speaks to the soul of our economic aspirations” and is critical to strengthening investor confidence.

Shettima highlighted the progress recorded through improved inter-agency cooperation, particularly at the nation’s ports. He cited the establishment of the Port Service Efficiency Committee, which he described as a model of effective collaboration.

“This synergy among all the agencies at the ports is the kind of reform that rapidly accelerates our economy,” he said. “When institutions see themselves not as isolated kingdoms but as partners in progress, the results are transformational.”

He urged public institutions to work harder in 2026 to deepen reforms, strengthen transparency, and make efficiency a norm in government operations.

“Let us build a nation where efficiency is normal, where transparency is routine, and where excellence is the governing creed of public service,” he said.

On her part, director general of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, reinterated commitment to make Nigeria the most attractive and competitive country for doing business in the world.

She said the country’s economic progress is a reflection of intentional reforms driven by data, accountability, and strong leadership from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kasim Shettima.

She noted that the launch of the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework in January marked a major step toward predictable, evidence-based policymaking, adding that global data shows countries with strong regulatory systems can raise annual growth by up to 2.3 percent.

“As we move towards 2026, our vision is clear—to make Nigeria one of the most attractive and competitive destinations for business in the world,” he said.

In his remarks, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President Ibrahim Hadija said the event is a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s determination to build a more business-friendly economy.

Hadija noted that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, PEBEC had delivered measurable reforms that continue to improve the daily experience of entrepreneurs, exporters, investors, and small and medium businesses.

“Tonight, we celebrate those redefining public service with innovation, transparency, and results. These achievements remind us that Nigeria has the talent and capacity to reform when we work together”, he said.