Business
TAXATION: Our Quota To Nation Building
Tax is a compulsory contribution to state revenue levied by the government on workers’ income and business profits, or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions. But for the sake of clarity, this piece will be focusing on tax as citizen’s obligation or contribution towards national development.
Nigeria like every other nation around the world needs revenue for the smooth running of governance and also to perform other civic operations. Although revenue can be gotten from various sources, one source that stands out the most in our contemporary time is revenue generated through taxation.
Every country has a particular agency or establishment saddled with the responsibility of tax administration aimed at delivering quality service to taxpayers in partnership with other stakeholders making taxation the pivot of national development. In Nigeria, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is the agency that oversees the timely collection of the various types of taxes which includes: the Company’s Income tax, Tertiary Education tax, Value Added tax, etc.
The FIRS after it’s rebirth in 2019 under the experienced leadership of its Executive Chairman, Muhammad Mamman Nami has become one agency of government working hard to fulfil it’s mandate and a major contributor to government coffers with its latest revenue generation of N10.1 trillion in the year 2022. The highest revenue ever collected in Nigeria’s history by a single agency of government, and of course the highest the Service has ever collected.
While the Federal Government of Nigeria is tagged with the responsibilities of providing security, welfare of citizens, promotion of political activities, provision and promotion of economic activities, provision of social amenities etc, citizens too have an obligation to fund these services through the payment of tax.Taxes paid by citizens is their obligation under the social contract where they contribute to the government to provide them with various services needed to better their lives.
Unfortunately some people do not see the need to pay taxes yet they want government to miraculously meet their needs by fulfilling its responsibilities. How can that be, where will the funds come from?
A nation with more tax payers who pay their tax as and at when due will naturally be ahead and more developed than those with less tax payers because it is through these taxes that government is able to undertake meaningful developmental projects such as constructions of roads and bridges, provision of medical facilities, building of schools and adequately equipping them; taxes are also used to fund many types of government programs that help the poor and less privileged in the society.
In Nigeria for example, the government at the center has embarked on series of milestone projects aided by revenue generated from taxes. Notable amongst these are the constructions of Loko – Oweto Bridge, Second Niger Bridge, Gombe-Kaltungo road, Abuja-Lokoja express way, Lagos-Ibadan dual carriage, Bonny-Bodo road and bridges, Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Kontagora road, amongst others. It has also provided affordable medical care and cheap medical training for our doctors; built several Primary Health Care Centres across the country, built thousands of lecture halls, theatres and hostels in our tertiary education institutions and equipped them with the necessary infrastructure needed for effective learning.
Our tertiary institutions of learning is a major benefactor of tax collected through education tax. The Tertiary Education tax is 2.5% of the assessable profit of companies operating in Nigeria.
The education tax is a tax contribution made from profits of companies in Nigeria collected by the FIRS on behalf of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TEFUND) which in turn disburses it to the relevant public tertiary institution. Over the years, this has translated to the building and equipping of physical infrastructure, staff development and aided research. In light of this, TETFUND has disbursed over 2 trillion Naira to several tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
However, for more people to be encouraged in payment of taxes, government at all levels needs to be seen judiciously using the funds at its disposal to bring about development in any and all forms, thereby providing value for tax monies collected. It is one thing to pay taxes and it is another thing for the taxes to be used for the purpose for which it was collected.
This cannot be better said than in the manner Muhammad Nami puts it. While appealing to the three tiers of government, he advises them to continue to use the funds generated by the FIRS in critical sector of the economy so that they are able to give back value to tax payers as far as their money is concerned. He adds that global civilization is as a result of judicious use of taxes by government officials across the world.
Every one desires a good life, we crave for a better Nigeria where everything works. In truth, every citizen deserves it but without funds, the government no matter how willing it may be will be handicapped in living up to its responsibilities and making a significant change in the system.
Therefore, citizens must recognise that they are responsible for the building of their country’s civilisation through the taxes they pay.
Whether as a public office holder, a business owner or a simple patriotic citizen of Nigeria, we owe it as a duty to pay our taxes. Together we can build our nation and take it to greater heights through this little quota called tax.
By JANTIKU IJANADA is a media practitioner who resides in Abuja.
The cryptocurrency market is stabilising after a turbulent start to the week, gaining nearly $89 billion and pushing the total market cap to $2.61 trillion.
Bitcoin rebounded above $80,000, with analysts suggesting a breakout past $82,761 could lead to $85,000, supported by strong investor confidence.
In the U.S., Speaker Mike Johnson urged patience, saying, “People need to be patient in waiting to see what President Trump was planning for the economy.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reassured investors, stating, “The recent market volatility was a transitory period, not a trend or a long-term one.”
Earlier in the week, crypto markets saw nearly $1 billion in liquidations as Bitcoin and Ethereum hit monthly lows.
However, stability returned, and in the past 24 hours, total liquidations reached $384.4 million—$138.2 million from long positions and $246.2 million from short positions.
Despite the recovery, analysts remain cautious. While reduced geopolitical risks and trade tensions have helped, inflation data, Federal Reserve policies, and ongoing global uncertainties could still impact markets.
The coming weeks will determine whether the market sustains its gains or faces renewed volatility.
In a move to support Nigeria’s transition to renewable energy, global technology giant Huawei has collaborated with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service and the Ministry of Power to equip Nigerian civil servants with essential skills in the green energy sector.
The two-day training programme theme “Green Energy and Solar Power Training” held in Abuja, targeted Directors of Engineering Departments across various ministries and agencies, aiming to enhance their knowledge of solar energy technologies and further champion its adoption in Nigeria. Participants were trained in making informed decisions on solar product selection, system maintenance, and ensuring energy efficiency in government operations.
Speaking at the opening of the training, Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu, represented by Permanent Secretary Alhaji Mahumuda Mamman, highlighted Huawei’s critical role in advancing renewable energy solutions.
“Huawei, as a global leader in technology and innovation, has been instrumental in making solar energy more efficient, scalable, and accessible,” Adelabu stated.
“Their involvement in this programme reflects their commitment not only to technological advancement but also to the education and empowerment of Nigeria’s energy leaders.”
Adelabu expressed confidence that the training would equip participants with valuable skills that would benefit their careers and contribute to Nigeria’s goal of energy independence and sustainability.
“The success of our energy transition depends on collaboration—between government, industry, and the technology sector,” he added.
“By working together, we can develop the infrastructure, policies, and human capital needed to accelerate Nigeria’s shift to a green energy economy.”
In his welcome remarks,Huawei Board Director Jim Zhang underscored the company’s longstanding presence in Nigeria, emphasising its contributions to the country’s digital and energy sectors.
“A lot of people know Huawei for our equipment, headsets, and laptops. However, we also provide digital power solutions, smart photovoltaic (PV) systems, and energy storage solutions (ESS) in Nigeria,” Zhang said.
He noted that Huawei has been in Nigeria for 26 years, operating two headquarters in Lagos and Abuja, alongside a training centre, an operations centre, and an innovation hub.
“We have already supplied nearly 100 megawatts of power through our smart PV and ESS systems in Nigeria,” Zhang revealed.
“We also collaborate with several universities, offering training programmes for students and professionals.”
Zhang reaffirmed Huawei’s commitment to working closely with the Nigerian government and businesses to address electricity challenges and enhance energy efficiency.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, represented by Permanent Secretary Dr Danjuma Usman Kalba, commended Huawei’s efforts in training civil servants. She stressed the importance of institutionalising such initiatives to ensure continuous capacity building in the public sector.
“We cannot thank Huawei enough for making itself available and organising this training,” Walson-Jack said.
“We hope this will become a continuous initiative within the civil service.”
She further emphasised the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy, urging ministries and agencies to align their strategies with global sustainability policies.
“The world is increasingly focusing on climate change and its impact. It is essential that Nigeria aligns with global renewable energy policies,” she said.
“I encourage participants to seize this opportunity to understand solar energy systems, particularly their maintenance and practical applications.”
The 2-day training program features technical sessions tailored to enhance participants knowledge and capabilities in solar power, as well as site visits to Huawei-implemented project sites as part of the effort to equip participants with practical knowledge and drive the nation towards a sustainable and energy-efficient future.
By Abubakar Yunusa
Oil marketers have cried out about the negative impacts of unstable prices of Premium Motor Spirit or petrol in the country on their businesses.
President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gilly-Harris raised concern during Channels Television’s Business Morning on Tuesday.
According to him, fluctuating petrol prices in the last few weeks are constituting potential threats to the survival of businesses of its members.
Gilly-Harris’ concern comes on the heels of ongoign price war between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Following the announcement of a price cut by the Dangote Refinery by N65 at the ex-depot price, the retail price at filling stations affiliated with Dangote dropped from N925-N930 to N860.
No sooner after, the NNPCL also reduced its price at its retail stations, further deepening rivalry between the two dominant players.
Billy-Harris said “In our consistently weekly reviews, we discovered that the size of loss, and the possibility of most of us getting out of business is glaring at us in the face. Because in today’s Nigeria, we have collaborative efforts being made between all the stakeholders, and we reach out to one another to know how the businesses are doing.
“As much as we are making efforts to make sure that Nigerians have product affordability from our end as the last mile in the industry, we also want to stay afloat and liquid.
“The challenge we have is that we buy products at a price today, and before the close of business, the price has reduced. We thought there should be a mechanism by which prices are analysed and ensure it doesn’t impact negatively on the industry.
“I have always said that every business can only survive by making some minimal profits that are commensurate to the price of paying the cost of doing business.
“We are fully aware that the international prices of crude oil and other related expenses are also being reduced. But when we invest to buy products at say N880, we are not going to sell at that price. And if such products become reduced to N840, N850, N860 or even N870 per litre, it becomes challenging how we will be able to recover our costs.”
Commenting on price monopoly in the downstream sector, Gilly-Harris said its members can either import products or buy from local refineries, however, it would not sell products at the expense of the survival of PETROAN members’ businesses.
He said “Yes, we have been in the forefront of always implementing what stakeholders agree. We have the capacity to import our products. We also have the capacity to buy locally refined products. But we see that prices consistently shift up or down, and there is no clear business consultation on how this should be done. That is why we said the NMDPRA and the consumer protection agency should swing into action and be able to work together with other stakeholders so that we can be able to have a stable market and a stable price.”