The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately suspend the introduction and rollout of any new policies, regulations, or major regulatory changes until full compliance with the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework is achieved.
The directive was announced on Tuesday by Princess Zahrah Audu, Director of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), in an official statement.
According to the statement, the suspension is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen regulatory quality, ensure policy coherence, and improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
Princess Audu explained that the move is necessary to prevent policy shocks that could negatively affect businesses, investors, and citizens.
“All Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are hereby directed to pause the introduction and rollout of any new policies, regulations, or major regulatory changes until full compliance with the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) Framework is achieved,” the statement read.
The Regulatory Impact Analysis Framework was formally implemented in January 2025. All MDAs are required to subject any new policy or amendment introduced after that date to thorough review and approval under the Framework.
The RIA Framework has been circulated to all MDAs by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and is also available on the PEBEC website.
The government emphasised that no new reform or policy will be allowed to proceed without being grounded in clear, verifiable evidence. The RIA Framework provides a structured mechanism for evidence-based policymaking.
The statement listed the key objectives of the directive as:
- Preventing policy shocks that may adversely affect businesses, investors, and citizens
- Eliminating policy inconsistencies and frequent reversals (policy flip-flops)
- Institutionalising evidence-based policymaking across government
- Enhancing transparency, predictability, and stakeholder confidence in public policies
- Ensuring adequate stakeholder engagement to drive policy buy-in and minimise resistance
In line with the directive, all MDAs are required to suspend all planned or proposed policy rollouts that have not yet been implemented and ensure that new policy proposals are supported by a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Analysis and necessary approvals.
MDAs have also been asked to undertake structured stakeholder engagement and fully integrate the RIA process into their internal policy formulation procedures.
For ease of implementation, MDAs can access the RIA Framework on the PEBEC website or seek technical support from the PEBEC Secretariat.
Exceptions to the directive will only be considered in cases of urgent national interest and will require appropriate approval.
The government stressed that the cooperation of all MDAs is essential to building a more stable, consistent, and business-friendly regulatory environment that supports sustainable economic growth and investor confidence.
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