News
Nigerian Technical Aid Corps to Partner Federal Inland Revenue Service for Enhanced Service Delivery
Joel Ajayi
The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have agreed to constitute an Ad Hoc joint Committee to work out modalities on how the both federal agencies will interface for a greater service delivery of their both mandates for the benefits of recipient countries of the Technical Aid Corps scheme.
This was the high point of a meeting held, Wednesday,in Abuja when the Director,Inter-Governmental Relations Department of the FIRS,Dr.Umaru Idris Ahmed led a delegation of the Service to a courtesy call on the Director General of NTAC,Rt.Hon.Yusuf Buba Yakub.
Speaking during the visit,Rt.Hon. Buba informed his guests that the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps was established in 1987 with a mandate to drive the Technical Aid Corps scheme as an instrument of soft power diplomacy for the promotion of the nation’s foreign policy goals in African, Caribbean and the Pacific nations.
He added that in the past 37 years of driving the mandate NTAC has deployed over 10,000 highly trained professionals in diverse fields of endeavour to 40 countries across the world and has showcased Nigeria as a friend to those countries in the spirit of the United Nations’ South-South Co-operation.
“Today,as we speak,the Scheme is not limited to just interventions in the Health and Education sectors,but also in Engineering,in the Judiciary and even Artisanship.
“For instance,today,we have Nigerian High Court Judges and many Legal Draftsmen serving in The Gambia as part of the Technical Aid Corps scheme.Nigerian Professors are also currently heading the prestigious University of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology in that country.There are so many cases like those across the world so that today going forward we are thinking,with the necessary amendments to our statues here,of attracting the needed foreign exchange from the services of some of these professionals we send out to share our abundant human resources with our sister countries of the ACP Region,”the DG informed.
Earlier speaking,the Director of the IGRD and leader of the Federal Inland Revenue Service delegation,Dr.Ahmed told their hosts that the delegation was at the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps to advance the building of new relationships with MDAs in line with the mandate of the newly established Inter-Governmental Relations Department of FIRS.
He also informed that the Department,which was established at the FIRS in March this year, had the sole mandate of fostering relationships between the Agency,the MDAs of Government and the private sector. The above he said was in order to further project the image of the Service in good light in relation to its role collecting tax for Government and facilitating tax reforms for national development in the Tinubu Administration.
Dr. Ahmed further informed that,being a member of both the African Tax Forum(ATAF) and the West African Tax Forum(WTAF),he would strive to liaise with those professional bodies to ascertain how NTAC could assist some ACP countries with the competencies of some Nigerian tax experts.
Among those present at the meeting on the side of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps were the Director of Administration at the Agency,Amb.Yakubu Abdullahi Ahmed;the Director of Programmes,Amb.Zakari Usman as well as the Deputy Director of Administration,Amb.Saidu D
Muhammed and Mr.Saidu Idris Yusuf,a Deputy Director in the Accounts Department.
Officers from the FIRS include the following:Mrs.Shehu Ganiyah,Ashu A.S,Mr.Silas Onweydu as well as Mr.Okim Thomas.While others were Mr.Usman Ibrahim and Amina Abdullahi.
News
Ogunlesi backs Tinubu reforms as FIRS chairman Adedeji highlights export-led economy
Joel Ajayi
After a high-level meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, Nigerian-born global investor Adebayo Ogunlesi expressed renewed confidence in the country’s economic reforms, indicating potential mega investments across energy, aviation, and port sectors.
He was joined in that optimism by Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), who stressed that the reforms were laying the groundwork for an export-driven economy.
Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, Ogunlesi praised the sweeping policy changes under Tinubu’s administration, including the removal of subsidies, tax reforms, and the revival of a refinery already exporting aviation fuel.
“We had an excellent meeting where we discussed how to put Nigeria front and center for international investment. The President was very encouraging, and we shared useful suggestions on driving economic growth,” Ogunlesi said.
Although he declined to reveal specific details, Ogunlesi confirmed that his firm is actively investing in Nigeria and assessing new opportunities.
“Watch this space. Nigeria is not yet the most exciting investment destination, but that’s what we are working on,” he teased.
Pressed on the sectors of interest, Ogunlesi highlighted energy, gas, aviation, ports, and renewables. Drawing on his firm’s experience with LNG projects in Texas and Australia, he noted Nigeria’s massive untapped gas reserves.
On aviation, he acknowledged his reputation as “the guy who bought Gatwick Airport” and signaled interest in similar ventures locally.
He also admitted that one of his companies operates ports in Cotonou and Lomé but none in Nigeria, a point Tinubu reportedly challenged him on.
“He forgave me but said, ‘you have to bring port investment to Nigeria,’” Ogunlesi recounted with a smile.
International investor Hakeem Bello-Osagie, who was also present, underscored the importance of diaspora participation in Nigeria’s growth story.
“When Nigerians at home and abroad invest in Nigeria, it sends a strong signal to the world,” he said, lauding Tinubu’s policies for making the country “investable.”
Echoing the sentiment, FIRS chairman Adedeji described the reforms as the foundation for an export-led economy.
“We’ve done the fundamentals, and now it is time to deliver growth,” he said.
With global players signaling confidence, the momentum for Nigeria’s economic repositioning is gaining ground, setting the stage for transformative investments in key industries.
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