By Ahmed Ahmed
The Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) says it will intensify its digital transformation efforts and deploy emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to improve service delivery, strengthen support for exporters and achieve higher performance in government reform assessments.
Managing Director (MD)/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank, Mr. Abubakar A. Bello, made the commitment during the concluding edition of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Reform Leadership Series, held as part of the two-day retreat for Heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and Reform Champions at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Abuja.
His remarks underscored the growing role of technology in public sector reforms as the federal government pushes to improve the ease of doing business and enhance the efficiency of public institutions.
Reflecting on NEXIM Bank’s performance in the Business Enabling Environment Performance Assessment (BEEPA), Mr. Bello welcomed the institution’s improved rating, describing it as evidence of the bank’s progress in delivering quality services to its stakeholders.
He noted that although NEXIM Bank had moved into the 80 to 99 percent performance category, the achievement was only a milestone rather than the final destination.
According to him, the assessment serves as a reflection of the quality of service delivered by the institution, and the bank remains determined to improve further and attain the status of a Super MDA under the PEBEC performance framework.
Mr. Bello also commended PEBEC for sustaining a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across government institutions.
He said the council’s regular assessments have encouraged MDAs to strengthen service delivery while remaining responsive to the needs of businesses and the public.
A central theme of his presentation was the importance of digitalisation in modern public administration.
According to Mr. Bello, automating institutional processes not only improves operational efficiency but also reduces leakages, enhances transparency and enables faster service delivery.
He argued that government institutions must embrace digital technologies if they are to meet the expectations of citizens and support economic growth in an increasingly technology-driven environment.
“Automating processes improves efficiency, blocks leakages, and strengthens service delivery,” Mr. Bello said.
He stated that greater adoption of digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and e-governance would enable public institutions to operate more efficiently while delivering better services to citizens and businesses.
For an institution such as NEXIM Bank, whose mandate includes supporting Nigeria’s non-oil export sector, faster processing times and improved digital services could significantly enhance access to export financing and improve the competitiveness of Nigerian businesses in international markets.
Looking ahead, Mr. Bello said one of the key lessons from the retreat was the need to sustain investment in digital transformation.
He disclosed that the bank would continue digitising its operations to improve responsiveness and reduce turnaround times, particularly in serving exporters who require timely access to financial support and trade facilitation services.
The PEBEC Reform Leadership Series, which featured heads of key government institutions throughout the retreat, highlighted the federal government’s broader strategy of strengthening institutional performance through innovation, accountability and collaboration.
As the series concluded, organisers said the discussions reinforced a shared commitment among public institutions to modernise government operations, improve service delivery and create a more enabling environment for businesses and investors.
