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Umar Farouq Felicitates With Nigeria @ 60

Published

5 years ago

October 1, 2020

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on Nigeria’s 60th Independence Day anniversary.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Senior Assistant to the Minister Nneka Anibeze, Farouq thanked the President for the creation of the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Ministry and his commitment to the poor in society.

“Mr President has restated his administration’s determination to lift one hundred million Nigerians out of poverty over the next ten years through its Social Investment Programmes. He may not be in office for another ten years but he has set in motion a solid foundation that will ensure that this set target is achieved.

“As we celebrate our 60th Independence anniversary, let us remember the severe humanitarian needs in some parts of Nigeria created by conflict and resolve to live in peace and unity”.

Earlier in his Independence Day celebration address, President Buhari recalled his administration’s efforts to support the small business owners who are the major contributors to the nation’s economy. This, he said is still in place despite the harsh realities the country’s economy is facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Our government is grappling with the dual challenge of saving lives and livelihoods in the face of drastically reduced resources. In the last three years, we have introduced unprecedented measures in support of the economy and to the weakest members of our society in the shape of Tradermoni, Farmermoni, School Feeding Programme, Job creation efforts, Agricultural and intervention programmes.

“No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources,” the President stated.

On the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary, Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq urged Nigerians to live in peace and unity as conflicts and crisis only create more humanitarian emergencies

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Tax Reform Bill Passage: New Tax Laws, Better Nigeria

Published

8 hours ago

May 9, 2025

The Gleamer

By Arabinrin Aderonke

Nigeria must work; this is the vision we have held onto for so long. When the news came that the Senate had passed all four tax reform bills, it was one of those moments you stop and ask yourself, is this really happening? For years, Nigeria’s tax system has been a source of frustration, something we all got used to criticizing. Truthfully, it was not just tax. From electricity to education to healthcare, we have long complained about the failure of government systems.

On top of that, Nigeria remained tied to the unstable global oil market, leaving us with unpredictable revenue and a shrinking ability to fund our future. That is exactly why we must keep believing in the idea of a new Nigeria. And this time, it is not just another round of promises, this is action.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu understood that to truly rebuild Nigeria, we needed a tax system that would create sustainable revenue, spread the burden fairly, and give every Nigerian, rich or poor, north or south, a reason to trust government again. That is what led to the introduction of the tax reform bills in 2024. It has taken months of serious policy work, consultation, and courage. Now, with the National Assembly passing all four bills, the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration (Procedure) Bill 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill 2024, and the Joint Tax Board (Establishment) Bill 2024, we are seeing decisions that could finally loosen Nigeria’s dependence on oil and give states the resources they need to grow.

One of the features is the new VAT sharing formula. Under the proposed structure, 50 percent of Value Added Tax revenue will be shared equally among all states, 20 percent will be distributed based on population, and 30 percent will be distributed according to actual consumption. It is a formula designed to balance fairness with performance, giving each state a stake while also encouraging economic activity and good governance.

The Senate also made it known that the VAT rate will remain at 7.5 percent, resisting pressure to increase it. For Nigerians, that means no new burden added to goods and services. But more importantly, the bills approved also provided for the continued funding of development agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). These are the institutions that support learning, research, and innovation across the country, and their survival is necessary for the future of the Nigeria we all want.

Another part of the bill is the plan to turn the Federal Inland Revenue Service into the Nigeria Revenue Service (Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill). But this is not just a name change. It is a coordinated effort to build a system that supports states, strengthens local government revenue, and makes tax collection more transparent.

Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of FIRS, has led the redesign of the agency and introduced many measures aimed at improving tax collection across the country, and even these Tax Reform Bills are one. If anyone has earned respect in this space, it is him. His work shows that reforms are possible when people in charge are ready to do better.

As it stands, all four tax reform bills have been passed, and these laws are now in place. This means Nigeria has completed what many consider the most needed tax reform in years.

The process now moves to the harmonization stage, where both the Senate and House of Representatives will come together to resolve any differences in their versions of the bills. Once they reach an agreement, the bills will be sent to the President for his final approval. After the President signs them into law, they will be published in the official gazette, making them official. From there, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, which will be renamed the Nigeria Revenue Service, will take the lead in implementation. With the capable Tax Boss, Dr. Zacch, we can be sure that the results will exceed expectations.

This is the Renewed Hope Nigerians have been waiting for. The changes are here, these reforms give us the chance to do things right!

Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi is the technical assistant on broadcast media to the executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service

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