Phillips Consulting pushes for more inter-state collaboration in Nigeria

At the latest monthly breakfast meeting of the Nigerian-South African Chamber of Commerce (NSACC), management consultancy Phillips Consulting has announced the expectation of greater collaboration between the Lagos and Ogun state governments in the future to promote a better business relationship.

Alongside broader economic issues of stagnation and unemployment, Nigeria’s state governments are struggling with a deficit in funding. The country is looking to foster domestic businesses to help drive economic growth, to which end regulatory openness and a promising business environment are crucial.

Were states to collaborate, share resources and promote the movement of business within their borders, the country’s business environment could receive a crucial boost. Phillips Consulting has initiated the first move towards such a scenario, facilitating a partnership between Lagos and Ogun.

The firm has long seen the NSACC as a crucial forum for collaboration. Phillips Consulting hosted the monthly breakfast meeting last year, using the opportunity to unveil an entirely new brand profile and suite of services that would take it into the consulting space of the modern economy.

The latest such event represents a similar landmark. “In 2020, to support the Federal and State governments initiative of addressing unemployment and creating jobs, Phillips Consulting will work in collaboration with its content partners to deliver free online training on specialised IT Certifications to 500 Nigerian youths across the country,” said Robert Taiwo, Managing Director at Phillips Consulting.

“It is important for each State to have a clear vision prior to the initiation of the partnership. The planned partnership must align with the vision of the collaborating States For collaboration between States to be successful, there must be commitment and leadership from the top. This will ensure the elimination of unnecessary bureaucracy, corruption and red tapes,” he added.

The Lagos Ogun Partnership Alliance (LOPA) has a clear agenda, which includes tackling congestion in Lagos State, the establishment of a land port between the two, enhancements in rail and water connections, and efforts to raise infrastructure funding through public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements.