New Presidential Secretariat Initiative Aims to Coordinate Solutions for Administrative and Regulatory Barriers Facing Businesses
Sri Lanka’s new ViYASA National Business Facilitation Centre is scheduled to open in Colombo on 22 September 2026. Established under the Presidential Secretariat, the centre is intended to help businesses address administrative and regulatory difficulties involving government institutions.
Sri Lanka is preparing to open the ViYASA National Business Facilitation Centre, a new government initiative intended to help businesses navigate administrative and regulatory obstacles encountered when starting or operating an enterprise.
According to information published on 22 September 2026, the National Business Facilitation Centre—also referred to as the NBFC—has been established under the Presidential Secretariat and is scheduled to open in Colombo today.
The centre is located at Building C-80, Hector Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Colombo 7.
Its stated purpose is to help find solutions to difficulties businesses face when dealing with government institutions and to coordinate with the relevant public agencies to facilitate those processes.
The development could be significant for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, investors and established companies that encounter delays or administrative complications involving different government bodies.
ViYASA Centre: Confirmed Details
- Scheduled opening: 22 September 2026
- Location: Building C-80, Hector Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Colombo 7
- Established under: Presidential Secretariat
- Primary purpose: Address administrative and regulatory barriers affecting businesses
- Head of the centre: Seevali Arukgoda, Senior Additional Secretary to the Presidential Secretariat and former Director General of Customs
A New Point of Coordination for Businesses
The centre is intended to act as a coordinating point between businesses and relevant government agencies.
Businesses in Sri Lanka may need to communicate with multiple public institutions when seeking registrations, approvals, licences or other administrative clearances. The available announcement does not state that ViYASA will replace those institutions or assume their legal powers.
Instead, the centre is expected to assist with identifying difficulties, coordinating with the responsible agencies and facilitating possible solutions.
This distinction is important. ViYASA should not yet be described as a single approval authority or as a guaranteed fast-track system unless the Government subsequently confirms those functions.
Leadership of the New Centre
The National Business Facilitation Centre will be headed by Seevali Arukgoda, a Senior Additional Secretary to the Presidential Secretariat and former Director General of Sri Lanka Customs.
The announced opening is to take place under the patronage of Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunnetti.
Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also expected to participate in the event.
These were the arrangements announced before the opening. Confirmation of attendance or statements delivered at the ceremony should be reported separately if official post-event information becomes available.
Why the Centre May Matter to Entrepreneurs
Administrative delays can affect the time and cost involved in establishing, expanding or operating a business. They can also create difficulties for investors who are unfamiliar with the responsibilities of different government departments.
A central facilitation service may help businesses identify the correct government institution, raise unresolved administrative matters and improve coordination between agencies.
However, the practical value of ViYASA will depend on how its services operate after launch. Important factors will include the types of cases accepted, response times, escalation procedures and the cooperation provided by the government institutions responsible for approvals.
The available announcement does not provide performance targets or guaranteed resolution periods.
Relevance to Overseas Sri Lankans and Investors
The initiative may also be relevant to Sri Lankans living overseas who are considering establishing or expanding businesses in Sri Lanka.
Overseas entrepreneurs can find it difficult to identify the correct agency or follow an administrative matter while residing outside the country. A clearly structured national facilitation centre could offer a more identifiable starting point.
Nevertheless, no specific service for overseas Sri Lankans, foreign investors or diaspora-owned businesses was announced in the material reviewed for this article.
Those groups should therefore wait for official guidance before assuming that remote applications, representative submissions or international support services will be available.
Before Contacting ViYASA
Businesses may benefit from preparing a clear record of the matter they want to raise, including:
- The government institution involved
- Relevant application or reference numbers
- Dates of previous correspondence
- Copies of official letters or notices
- A concise explanation of the unresolved administrative barrier
This is a general preparation checklist—not an officially published ViYASA application requirement.
ViYASA Website Announced
The official NBFC website was also scheduled to be launched with the centre:
At the time of reporting, the available public announcement did not provide detailed instructions covering applications, appointments, online submissions or document requirements.
Businesses should rely on information published through the official website or Presidential Secretariat channels when those instructions become available.
Applicants should also be cautious about unofficial representatives claiming to guarantee approvals or priority access.
Details Still Awaiting Official Confirmation
Several practical details had not been announced in the records reviewed for this article:
- Which industries and types of businesses are eligible
- Whether start-ups, SMEs and foreign investors will follow different procedures
- How businesses can submit cases
- Whether appointments will be required
- Whether services will be available online
- What documents must accompany a request
- Whether any service fees will apply
- Expected response and resolution times
- How unresolved cases will be escalated
- Whether regional offices or provincial services are planned
- Whether the centre can review existing applications
- Whether it will publish performance reports or case-resolution statistics
Sri Lanka Directory will update this coverage when confirmed operational information becomes publicly available.
What ViYASA Does Not Yet Guarantee
The establishment of the centre does not itself guarantee that every business complaint will be resolved or that statutory approvals will be issued.
Government licences, permits and regulatory decisions will continue to depend on the applicable laws, regulations and responsibilities of the institutions authorised to make those decisions—unless subsequent legal or official documentation states otherwise.
Businesses should also avoid interpreting “facilitation” as automatic approval, exemption from regulatory requirements or permission to bypass established procedures.
SLD Perspective
The creation of a central business facilitation centre is a potentially useful development for Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurs and investors.
For the initiative to build confidence, businesses will need accessible procedures, transparent case tracking, clear responsibilities and realistic response times. Public reporting on cases received, issues resolved and average processing periods could also help demonstrate whether the centre is delivering measurable improvements.
For Sri Lanka’s global business community, the most important question will be how effectively ViYASA converts its stated coordination role into practical assistance.
