It takes 153 days to start a business in Maputo but just three days in Toronto. Registering a commercial property in Abuja, Nigeria, requires 21 procedures while the same process in Helsinki can be achieved with three. In developing countries, where the regulatory burden is heavier than in wealthy nations, simply starting a business is hard enough.

However, when it comes to businesses that are embarking on public-private projects aimed at fostering development, additional hurdles exist.