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.
Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, says Nigeria will generate and distribute 8,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity before the end of President Bola Tinubu’s first term in 2027.
The minister spoke during a ministerial press briefing hosted by Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, on Thursday.
Adelabu explained that the Tinubu administration increased power generation by 1,700 megawatts in two years, whereas it previously took the country 35 years to achieve a 2,000 megawatt increase.
He assured that if the new trajectory is sustained, before the end of the Tinubu administration in 2027, the power ministry will generate and distribute 8,000 megawatts of power or more.
“In the country’s history of the power sector, let me thank our agencies, our operators, that this was achieved during our time,” Adelabu said.
“We have crossed the bar of 6,000 megawatts for the first time in the history of Nigeria’s power sector.
“That is not enough, this achievement was followed by a peak generation evacuation of 5,801.44 megawatts on 4th of March 2025, which also saw an impressive daily energy output, the highest ever, 128,370.75 megawatts per day on that very day.
“We’ve always been at 118,000 to 119,000 megawatts on a daily basis, but we achieved 128,000. That is the highest energy ever consumed in a day since the power sector came to being in Nigeria, and we are proud to achieve this.
“In summary, the average daily power generated and distributed in the first quarter of 2025 was 5,700 megawatts.
“Compared with what we met when we resumed office, average of 4,100 megawatts achieved in the third quarter of 2023, this indicate a growth of 1,600 megawatts, nearly 40% growth since we assumed office at the ministry.
“This is very important to us. I came into office August 2023, and between July, August, and September, what we achieved was 4,100 generated, evacuated, transmitted, and distributed, and it’s always been like that. Even though there were spikes in the past, it would go up, it would come down.
“It was not sustainable, and it took the country about 40 years. In 1984, when Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman was the federal minister of power, we achieved 2,000 megawatts of power generation.
“We took this to 4,000, about 2016-2022, so it took the country between 35 to 40 years to achieve 2,000 incremental generation.
“But this administration, thanks to our Mr. President for his support, in one and a half years, we grew this from 4,100 to a peak generation of 5,800; 1,700 increase in one and a half years.
“What we are saying is that past administrations have their own positives, creation of the NIPPs, a lot of things that they achieved.
“If they have been adding at least 1,000 megawatts of power since 1999, we’d be talking about 26,000 megawatts, plus 4,000, that would be about 30,000 megawatts of power in Nigeria today, but we cannot keep dwelling in the past.
“It’s the way forward. Now that we have created the trajectory, if we sustain this trajectory, I can assure you that before the end of this administration in 2027, we should be able to generate and distribute nothing less than 8,000 megawatts of power.
“So, given that it took the country almost 40 years to achieve an incremental 2,000 megawatts average energy, we accomplished this.”
‘NATIONAL GRID STRONGER IN TINUBU’S ADMINISTRATION’
Adelabu explained that the national grid has been stronger in Tinubu’s administration, as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) strengthened the critical network by commissioning 61 new transformers.
“It is a huge grid to cover over 200 million people, and it’s been there for so long, and we know that the maintenance history has been poor, replacement history has been poor, expansion history has been poor,” the minister said.
“It is old, so collectively enabling our grid 8.7 gigawatt operational capacity, as of today, if we grow our generation to 8,700 megawatts, the grid can still carry it, thanks to the activities of the TCN and the FGN power company.
“Two years ago, once it gets to 5,000 megawatts, the grid collapses, then we have evacuated 5,800 megawatts successfully without the grid blinking, it was still stable, so we can transport 8,700 megawatts.
“To strengthen this critical network, TCN commissioned 61 new transformers, totalling 5,589 MVA in 2024. Followed by nine additional transformers in quarter one of 2025 across key locations in Lagos, Benin, Bauchi, Oshogbo, Kano and Kaduna, we have the list of the sites, I once mentioned that TCN had over 100 unfinished projects.
“In the 2025 appropriation, we already have N25 billion to support TCN to complete some of these projects and that will also improve power supply.
“Beyond TCN, we have the activities of the presidential power initiative, which is being executed by the FGN power company. The pilot phase delivered infrastructure across 13 locations, adding 700 megawatts to the national grid.
“We experience a number of grid disturbances towards the end of last year; but since January up till today, four months into the new year, we have not seen any major disturbance to the grid.
“I can assure you, we do everything possible to maintain and sustain the current scenario. If there’s any little disturbance, our turnaround time is being worked upon, within one to two hours, the grid will be up.”
Adelabu said another remarkable initiative is the progress made towards regionalising the national grid, adding that the eastern and western supergrid approvals currently in progress will revolutionise the national grid and reduce failures.
The minister added that Nigeria needs regionalisation of the national grid so that if there is a problem in one part of the country, it will not affect other parts.
… Reminds Public to always verify registration status
The Securities and Exchange Commission has stated that Crypto Bridge Exchange also known as CBEX was not granted registration by the Commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange.
In a Circular dated April 17, 2025, the Commission stated that its attention has been drawn to recent media reports/publications on the activities of CBEX (Crypto Bridge Exchange). CBEX, which also operates under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, Smart Treasure/Super Technology, has held itself out as a digital asset-trading platform, offering high returns to investors in Nigeria.
According to the SEC, “The Commission hereby clarifies that neither CBEX nor its affiliates were granted registration by the Commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange, solicit investments from the public or perform any other function within the Nigerian capital market.
Preliminary investigations carried out by the Commission have revealed that CBEX engaged in promotional activities to create a false perception of legitimacy, in order to entice unsuspecting members of the public into investing monies, with the promise of implausibly high guaranteed returns within a short timeframe.
CBEX has failed to honour withdrawal requests from their subscribers and abruptly closed their physical offices, amid mounting complaints.
The SEC emphasised that pursuant to the provisions of Section 196 of the Investments and Securities Act 2025, the Commission would collaborate with relevant law enforcement agencies to take appropriate enforcement action against the CBEX, its affiliates and promoters.
“The Commission uses this medium to remind the public to REFRAIN from investing in or dealing with any entity offering unrealistic returns or employing similar recruitment-based investment models. Prospective investors are advised to VERIFY the registration status of investment platforms via the Commission’s dedicated portal: www.sec.gov.ng/cmos before transacting with them”, the SEC added.
SEC Director General, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, had recently said the Commission is launching a more forceful and coordinated enforcement regime against unregistered and illegal “phony” investment schemes, otherwise known as Ponzi schemes.
Agama said with the newly enacted Investments and Securities Act, 2025 (ISA 2025), the Commission now has enhanced powers to prosecute Ponzi schemes and their promoters.
He said investigations were ongoing on CBEX, adding that promoters of the failed scheme will not go scot-free.
Agama said the new law has given the Commission more powers and blocked loopholes in emerging areas of virtual and digital assets.
“The ISA 2025 has given the Commission the legal backing to provide clarity, ensure investor protection, and enhance market confidence, especially in new and previously unregulated segments such as digital asset exchanges and online foreign exchange platforms,” Agama said.
He said that while the apex capital market regulator would continue to support innovations in finance and investments, the Commission would maintain strict oversight in line with its enhanced investor’s protection mandate.
“We welcome innovation, but it must occur within a regulated environment that protects investors and maintains the integrity of our market,” Agama said.
He recalled that SEC had even with the limited scope of the repealed Act maintained extensive surveillance and was able to shut down a number of Ponzi schemes, with some of the promoters like Fahmzi Interbiz jailed for defrauding Nigerians.
According to him, with the ISA 2025 that gives the Commission more powers to deal with issues, the Commission will ensure that promoters of such schemes are not allowed to operate.
The Nigerian Exchange reversed previous gains on Wednesday, April 16, as investors lost N445bn following a widespread decline in banking stocks, especially Guaranty Trust Holding Company and Zenith Bank.
At the close of trading, the All-Share Index dropped by 708.14 points, representing a 0.68 per cent decline, to settle at 103,851.88 points. This downward movement also dragged the overall market capitalisation from N65.7 tn to N65.3 tn, reflecting a N445 bn loss in value.
The decline in the market was primarily driven by sharp sell-offs in top-tier banks. Guaranty Trust Holding Company recorded the worst performance on the losers’ chart with an 11.94 per cent drop to close at N59.00 per share. Zenith Bank followed closely with an 11.65 per cent dip to close at N44.00 per share. Other laggards included Industrial and Medical Gases, which fell by 10 per cent, Guinea Insurance, which dropped by 9.52 per cent, and UPDC Real Estate Investment Trust, which declined by 8.2 per cent.
Despite the bearish outing, 124 listed equities participated in the day’s trading, out of which 24 recorded gains while 21 posted losses. Abbey Mortgage Bank led the gainers’ chart with a 9.99 per cent increase to close at N8.15 per share. It was trailed by Sovereign Trust Insurance with a gain of 7.69 per cent, the Nigerian Exchange Group rose by 7.3 per cent, and Deap Capital Management and Trust appreciated by 6.67 per cent.
Market activity also showed mixed sentiments. A total of 351.66m shares valued at N13.71bn were exchanged in 12,141 deals. Compared to the previous trading day, this represented a five per cent decline in trading volume, a 26 per cent increase in turnover, and an eight per cent drop in the number of deals.
Access Holdings led in terms of volume with 68.2m shares traded, followed by GTCO with 36.8m shares, FCMB Group with 28.8m shares, and United Bank for Africa with 26.4m shares.
On the performance of key indices, the NGX Top 30 Index fell by 0.72 per cent. The NGX Oil and Gas Index slipped by 0.05 per cent, while the NGX Industrial Index was marginally flat. However, some indices posted gains: the NGX Insurance Index advanced by 0.8 per cent, the NGX Consumer Goods Index rose by 0.34 per cent, and the NGX Pension Index edged up by 0.09 per cent.
In terms of broader market performance, the NGX has recorded a one-week loss of 0.32 per cent and a four-week loss of 1.84 per cent, although it retains a modest year-to-date gain of 0.9 per cent.
On Tuesday, the Nigerian equities market rebounded, with investors recording a gain of N19bn, pushing the market capitalisation of the Nigerian Exchange to N65.7tn at the close of trading.