Business

Democracy Day: Fiscal Discipline Key To Nigeria’s Sustainable Devt – Auditor-General

Published

1 day ago

June 12, 2025

…Urges National Assembly to Pass Audit Bill 2022

Joseph Bisi

As Nigerians commemorated a historic milestone in their collective pursuit of a more socio-economically robust nation, the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, has implored the nation’s leaders and citizenry to intensify their efforts in championing the cause of fiscal discipline and accountability within the public finance system. In a brief conversation with journalists to mark the 2025 ‘Democracy Day’ on Thursday, the AuGF commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing fiscal and tax reform initiatives, describing these measures as essential for enhancing the nation’s revenue generation and budgetary expenditures. Chira explained that transforming the potential benefits of these reforms into tangible gains for the citizenry required more transparent fiscal mechanisms for the monitoring and evaluation of government expenditures, including the auditing processes and the timely appraisal of the Audit report by his Office, free from political interferences. He said: “Today’s Democracy Day is worthy of celebration, given the political history of the country and the prospects for sustainable development. Over the past few years, we have witnessed a series of reform initiatives by both past and present administrations aimed at improving the nation’s fiscal system, particularly under President Bola Tinubu, based on the current Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills that are being finalized by the National Assembly. “Let me emphasize that these measures are not merely desirable for Nigeria’s sustainable development; the enactment of the four pivotal bills will significantly contribute to stabilizing the financial system while also promoting transparency in public finance and prudent governance at all levels of government throughout the country. “It is imperative to underscore, however, that the role of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) in achieving these laudable objectives may be impeded if the Audit Bill currently before the National Assembly is not enacted into law. “The passage of the Bill, which seeks to augment the AuGF’s role in ensuring accountability, transparency and value for money in government expenditure while empowering the AuGF with administrative and financial autonomy, is crucial for enhancing transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s public finance system that aligns with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAIs). “Therefore, I seize this opportunity to appeal to our lawmakers in the National Assembly to prioritize the passage of the Audit Bill as a strategic legislative initiative to achieve the commendable goals of the Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills they are presently finalizing,” the AuGF added.Experts are of the view that the Auditor-General’s call for the passage of the Audit Bill 2022 aligns with the OAuGF Strategic Plan 2024-2028, which encapsulates the objectives of the Office being the Supreme Audit Institution(SAI) of Nigeria, aimed at enhancing public sector governance and accountability. The four principal objectives of the Strategic Plan include Goal 1: Focusing on the enhanced independence and mandate of the OAuGF; Goal 2: to mitigate mismanagement of public funds through more robust follow-up on audit recommendations; Goal 3: to ensure improved financial reporting within the public sector; and Goal 4: to establish the OAuGF as a model institution not only in Nigeria but on a global scale.

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Business

TAJBank Signs Agreement For N20Bn Mudarabah Sukuk Bond Issuance

Published

3 days ago

June 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

TAJBank, Nigeria’s leading non-interest lender, on Tuesday signed the completion agreement for the N20 billion second tranche of its N100 billion Mudarabah Sukuk bond programme.

The latest investment initiative of the multiple award-winning non-interest lender, which is coming after about two years following the issuance of the first-ever N10 billion Sukuk bond on the Nigerian Exchange in 2023, presents another opportunity for individuals and corporate investors to stake their funds in an ethical instrument with a competitive 20.5% per annum return.

Specifically, the new Mudarabah Sukuk bond of TAJBank, which has secured all necessary regulatory approvals, is designed to offer a stable and ethical investment option to investors to participate in the bank’s profit-sharing ventures, and underscores TAJBank’s commitment to expanding access to innovative financial solutions and promoting financial inclusion in the country.

According to the management of the bank, the new Mudarabah Sukuk bond is open to all investors, both individuals and corporates and the goal is to provide a reliable source of extra income, accessible from the comfort of your home.
Briefing journalists on the importance of the agreement signing ceremony, the Chairman of TAJBank, Alhaji Tanko Isiaku Gwamna, said: “The offer of the N20bn Mudarabah Sukuk to the market is to avail members of the public an investment opportunity that aligns with ethical financial principles.

“As the Board and management of our bank demonstrated in the maiden issuance of the bank’s Sukuk, the offer of the new N20bn Sukuk bond on the NGX will enable a wider range of investors to participate in our growth and benefit from our profit-sharing model”, the Chairman assured.

He further advised interested investors to contact their financial advisors or visit www.tajbank.com for more information on the Sukuk and the listing processes.

Commenting on the historic pact between his company and TAJBank on the Sukuk bond issuance, CEO of the lead issuing house – AVA Capital Ltd, Mr. Kayode Fadahunsi, said: “We are very excited to be part of TAJBank’s success story in the non-interest banking industry, which is being consolidated upon with the planned issuance of its N20bn Mudarah Sukuk in the NGX as part of its N100 billion programme.

“I want to assure investors that as was the case in the Bank’s maiden Sukuk bond listing on the Exchange, the bank’s management will surpass their expectations in terms of return on their investment and other benefits in this second outing”, Fadahunsi added.

Investment analysts strongly believe that the N20 billion second tranche Mudarabah Sukuk bond issuance with a 20.5% annual return is potentially among the best offer to investors seeking to diversify their investment portfolios and good returns on a sustainable basis.

It would be recalled that TAJBank’s Founder/Managing Director, Mr. Hamid Joda had, during the beating of the Gong on the listing of the Bank’s maiden N10 billion Sukuk bond on the NGX in February 2023, which was over-subscribed by over 115%, assured investors of good returns on their investments and the Board has been fulfilling the promise since then

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