Business
Tax Reform Bills: ACF Recommends Retention Of 7.5% VAT
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has recommended the retention of the 7.5% rate of Value added Tax (VAT) in the Tax Reforms Bills.
ACF’s submission was contained in a comprehensive set of observations and recommendations to the National Assembly on the Executive Tax Reforms Bills, meant to achieve a sweeping overhaul of Nigeria’s tax laws.
The group’s actions were the outcome of a special purpose committee of experts set up by its board of trustees which studied the bills for appropriate recommendations
In the report signed by its National Publicity Secretary Tukur Muhammad-Baba, ACF said the retention of the 7.5% rate of Value added Tax (VAT) is in line with the reality of current economic challenges facing citizens and businesses.
It also called for Improving the efficiency of (VAT) collection, improvements to revenue collection through the formalisation of the informal sectors and the use of digital technologies, as well as the vigorous expansion of Nigeria’s tax base through encouraging private sector investments.
The Forum further recommended that VAT on agricultural equipment should be expunged; and the words “supply and supplies” in Chapter 6 (VAT), Part 1, Sections 143, 144, 145, and 147 of the Tax Administration Bill should be changed to “consumption or consumptions”.
Also, the Forum wants the term “derivation” to be clearly and unambiguously defined, while its distribution should be based on consensus reached through consultation with states and local governments as well as the advice of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMFC).
Furthermore, the northern group called for the drastic reduction of the powers of the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors/Governance of the Joint Revenue Board, noting that the proposed provisions amount to attributing and concentrating almost absolute powers of supervision and accountability to a single person.
The Forum also called for the replacement of the eight proposed coordinating directors with six executive directors from each geographical zone, while the executive directors must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Further recommendations by the ACF included the retention of TETFUND and NITD through re-couching Section 69 of the proposed Nigeria Tax Bill as Development Levy, which should be shared with TETFUND, NITDA, NASENI, and the Education Loan Fund.
It however encouraged all concerned stakeholders to engage and make submissions to the relevant National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) Committees undertaking public hearings on the proposed tax bills.
“Every interest group is encouraged to take the public hearings seriously enough as to contribute to the emergence of robust laws that will stand the test of time and in the national interest”.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a significant review of the documentation requirements for transactions conducted through the Pan-African Payment & Settlement System (PAPSS) in Nigeria.
This initiative is part of CBN’s ongoing commitment to foster seamless intra-African trade, financial inclusion, and operational efficiency for Nigerians engaging in cross-border payments within Africa.
In a circular dated April 28, 2025, CBN introduced simplified documentation for low-value PAPSS transactions — allowing individuals and corporates to use basic KYC and AML documents for transactions up to USD 2,000 and USD 5,000 respectively. Higher-value transactions will still require full documentation as outlined in the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual.
The CBN also stated that Authorized Dealer Banks (ADBs) can now source foreign exchange for PAPSS settlements directly from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, without relying on the CBN. Additionally, export proceeds repatriated via PAPSS must be certified by the processing banks.
The apex bank urged all banks, exporters, importers, and individuals to familiarize themselves with the new guidelines and leverage PAPSS for seamless cross-border transactions across Africa.
Launched by Afreximbank in partnership with the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in January 2022, PAPSS serves as a centralized payment and settlement platform that enables instant, secure, and efficient cross-border transactions throughout Africa.
By facilitating payments in local currencies, PAPSS minimizes reliance on third-party currencies, reduces transaction costs, and supports the rapid expansion of trade under the AfCFTA.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cautioned Nigerians against the excessive desire for money.
The agency issued the advice in a terse post on its X handle on Sunday.
“Love money too much, and Ponzi schemes will love you …..as their next target….be guided, the Eagle loves you all,” the post read.
This is coming amid ongoing investigation into the alleged fraud perpetrated by a digital investment platform, CryptoBank Exchange (CBEX).
CBEX had reportedly crashed on April 14, leading to the loss of billions of naira belonging to Nigerian investors.
Several videos online had shown some Nigerians raising the alarm over the loss of their funds to the scheme.
The EFCC had on Friday declared eight persons wanted over their alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme linked to the online trading platform.
The move came on the heels of the Federal High Court in Abuja granting the EFCC’s request to arrest and detain persons found promoting the CBEX scheme.
Justice Emeka Nwite, issued the order following submissions by the counsel for the EFCC, Fadila Yusuf, seeking the court’s approval to detain the promoters pending the conclusion of investigations into the alleged offences and their possible prosecution.
The EFCC stated that during the investigation, it found that ST Technologies, while registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, was not authorised by the Securities and Exchange Commission to conduct investment activities.
Furthermore, it said the defendants had vacated their last known addresses in Lagos and Ogun States.
The EFCC had argued that a warrant of arrest was necessary to place the defendants on a red watch list to facilitate their capture and ensure they face charges.
The commission said its investigation had also established a prima facie case of an investment scam and that granting the application was in the interest of justice.
During an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, The Morning Brief, on April 16, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, advised Nigerians against investing in a business without considering the legal framework that regulates it.
Oyewale said, “We know that for every business concern, you declare your profit either quarterly, annually or bi-annually, but if somebody says, ‘Bring your money; I’m going to give you a return in 30 days,’ you know that is not realistic; it’s just not pragmatic.
“Or if somebody says, ‘If you bring your money, we’re going to give you a 100% return on investment,’ that is not possible”.
Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, has clarified why its Benin to Abuja flight P47171 was delayed in the air on Friday.
In a statement issued by the Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, Air Peace Airline on Saturday stated that during the aircraft’s descent into Abuja, the flight encountered turbulence as a result of adverse weather conditions, including thunderstorms.
The statement further stressed that in line with global aviation safety standards, “our crew activated appropriate safety protocols and held in a holding pattern until weather conditions improved.”
Social media users complained on Saturday that the aircraft hung in the air longer than necessary before landing.
Elanza news understands that when an aircraft is held in a holding pattern, this means the plane was instructed to fly a specific course around a designated point while waiting for permission from the control tower to proceed with its planned route, approach, or landing.
This is often due to factors like traffic congestion at the given airport, weather delays, or other operational issues that could result in an incident or accident if the aircraft had landed against instructions.
In simpler terms, a holding pattern is a temporary waiting area for an aircraft in the air, allowing it to remain airborne while awaiting further instructions for landing.
The statement further stated, “We are pleased to confirm that the aircraft landed safely and the passengers disembarked normally. Air Peace is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety across all our operations.”