A Presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has promised to reduce the cost of doing business in Nigeria if he becomes President in 2027.

Hayatu-Deen, who spoke in Abuja when he hosted a group of young Nigerian entrepreneurs as part of his ongoing consultations, told them that his administration would reform the energy sector and tax system, improve infrastructure, and provide access to finance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which he said are the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.

“Our SMEs should be building, hiring, innovating, and expanding, not merely struggling to survive.

“Nigeria cannot create prosperity while its businesses are suffocating under rising costs and insecurity,” he added.

The aspirant, in a statement by his media office, added that there is a need to fix Nigeria and build a safer country, create more jobs, lower the cost of doing business, and give millions of Nigerians a real opportunity to succeed.

“Having spent years supporting the growth of businesses and helping to create millions of jobs, I understand both the promise of our SMEs and the constraints holding them back.

“When the enabling environment is right, businesses thrive. When it is not, even the most resilient struggle,” he stated.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of worsening economic hardship across the country, rising inflation, deepening insecurity, high energy costs, currency instability, and an increasingly difficult business environment that continues to place enormous pressure on small and

Hayatu-Deen warnee that when businesses struggle, the consequences are felt across the entire country.

He said the discussions with the entrepreneurs revealed a consistent pattern of rising operational costs, shrinking margins, and growing uncertainty about the future.

“The message from these young entrepreneurs was clear; the cost of doing business is rising faster than their ability to grow.

“From energy, to transportation, to raw materials, everything is becoming more expensive, while profits continue to shrink,” Hayatu-Deen said.

According to him, his vision for Nigeria is centered on building a productive economy that rewards enterprise, restores investor confidence, improves security, and reduces the burden on businesses.

He added that fixing insecurity remains critical to economic recovery, as farmers, traders, transporters, manufacturers, and investors cannot operate effectively in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.