As the country enters the final quarter of 2026, the chamber is urging the government to address rising operating expenses, improve the business environment and support productive economic activities.

LCCI Director-General, Dr Chinyere Almona, said coordinated policy interventions were essential to easing production constraints and improving operating conditions for businesses nationwide.

The chamber’s six recommendations cover energy and transportation costs, support for manufacturing and SMEs, inflation management and productive investment, taxation and regulation, agricultural value chains, and stronger engagement between the government and the private sector.

On energy and logistics, Almona called for improved electricity supply, stronger domestic refining capacity, more efficient fuel distribution, better transport infrastructure and the removal of unnecessary charges across supply chains.

She stressed that government efforts to moderate petrol price volatility should result in more affordable and predictable energy costs for businesses.

The LCCI also urged the Federal Government to expand support for manufacturers and SMEs through affordable financing, reliable electricity, improved industrial infrastructure and streamlined import and export procedures.

It called on development finance institutions to establish transparent financing arrangements for viable businesses, with funding interventions directed towards higher productivity, increased production capacity, technology adoption and job creation.

On inflation and investment, Almona advocated consistent monetary policies that prioritise price stability while taking into account how interest rates affect access to credit for productive businesses.

She further emphasised the need for fiscal policies to complement monetary interventions by addressing supply-side constraints, improving infrastructure and strengthening domestic production.

Addressing taxation and regulation, the LCCI director-general recommended simpler compliance processes, effective taxpayer education, harmonisation of overlapping charges and transparent mechanisms for resolving disputes.

She also called for a review of regulations that place disproportionate financial and administrative burdens on SMEs, noting the importance of creating conditions that encourage business formalisation, investment and expansion.

In the agricultural sector, the chamber identified increased investment in irrigation, mechanisation, storage facilities, rural roads, agricultural financing and agro-processing as essential priorities.

It also urged the government to tackle insecurity in farming communities and improve the movement of agricultural produce from farms to markets.

According to Almona, lowering food prices requires an efficient agricultural value chain capable of reducing post-harvest losses, transportation costs and unnecessary intermediaries.

The chamber also advocated institutionalised engagement between the government and organised businesses to strengthen policy implementation, address operational difficulties and improve accountability.

Almona said these engagements should create opportunities for stakeholders to evaluate policy outcomes and resolve challenges affecting business operations.

The recommendations reflect persistent difficulties confronting Nigerian small businesses, including high electricity and transportation expenses, inadequate access to affordable financing and multiple regulatory obligations.

For small manufacturers, retailers and service providers, more reliable electricity and reduced logistics costs could lower operating expenses and improve competitiveness.

Similarly, improved access to affordable financing would give SMEs greater opportunities to acquire equipment, increase production, adopt new technologies and create employment.

Simplified tax procedures and harmonised charges could also ease the financial and administrative pressures on smaller businesses, particularly those working towards formalising their operations.

For agricultural businesses, investments in storage infrastructure, irrigation, rural roads and financing could reduce post-harvest losses while improving access to markets.

The LCCI maintained that the next phase of Nigeria’s economic reforms must ensure that macroeconomic improvements translate into lower business costs, stronger domestic production, increased productivity and employment.