Zacch Adedeji, chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has assured Nigerians that the ongoing tax reform will reduce taxes not introduce new ones or raise existing tax rates. Adedeji gave the assurance during an interactive session with members of the senate committee on finance in Abuja on Tuesday. Addressing concerns over the impact of the reforms, he clarified that the primary goal is to reduce the number of taxes paid by Nigerians and increase the efficiency of tax administration in Nigeria. “The tax reform will not introduce any taxes or increase percentage of existing ones but reduce number of taxes being paid by Nigerians,” Adedeji said. “The tax reform basically seeks to increase simplicity and efficiency of tax administration in Nigeria.” He also noted that no agencies would be merged, and no jobs would be lost in the course of implementing the reforms, adding that the existing tax policies are not meant to tax poverty but to focus on prosperity. “We are taxing fruits, not seeds—returns, not investments,” he said. Providing an update on four executive bills currently before the national assembly, Adedeji said when passed into law, the bills will harmonise multiple tax laws, enhance efficiency and modernisation, simplify tax regulations, and foster synergy among revenue-generating agencies. The bills include the Nigeria tax bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (Amendment) bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) bill. The reforms, according to Adedeji, will promote transparency, align with international standards, expand the tax base, and improve government savings. President Bola Tinubu’s administration plans to introduce a series of reforms designed to boost government revenues and strengthen the economy. The federal executive council (FEC) approved the economic stabilisation bills seeking amendment of tax policies on September 23. On Monday, Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms, said the personal income tax of Nigerians earning above N1.5 million will be increased gradually to 25 percent under the new economic stabilisation bill. Also, on June 4, Oyedele said the committee proposed the reduction of the company income tax (CIT) by 5 percent over two years. ‘CURRENT NAME DOES NOT REFLECT SCOPE OF SERVICES’ Speaking on the proposed change of the agency’s name to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), the FIRS boss said the current name does not fully reflect the scope of its services. He also said 85 percent of the value-added tax (VAT) collected is remitted to state governments, while only 15 percent goes to the federal government. In his remarks, Sani Musa, chairman of the senate committee on finance, reiterated the importance of tax reforms to the government’s agenda and called for contributions from all stakeholders. “Tax reforms are central to the government’s agenda and require meaningful contributions from all stakeholders,” he said. Musa commended the FIRS chairman for meeting the revenue targets for the fiscal year and urged him to go beyond the set targets.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says the government at all levels needs to make money to provide social services to Nigerians. Wike spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the maiden edition of the Abuja Business and Investment Summit organised by the Abuja Investment Company Limited. The former Rivers State governor said the theme of the event, ‘Optimising Investment Through Partnerships’, resonates with the Federal Government’s drive to deploy the power of collaboration to foster investment opportunities. READ ALSO: FG Eyes 25% Tax Revenue From Nigerians Earning Above ₦100m The FCT minister said the notion that the government does not need money was incorrect. Citing examples of the government’s partnership with the private sector that went sour, Wike said the government won’t continue to commit billions of naira and land to investors who can’t guarantee a return on investment. “These are the kinds of things the government looks into and say how can I bring in the money and the land and at the end of the day, the government will not make a dime? “When people say the government is not to make money, who told you that? If government is not to make money, how do we have money to provide services? The government needs money. “That’s why the government say pay your tax; it’s very important. And so, while we provide the enabling environment, we also believe that we have to encourage you (investors) so that you get what you are supposed to get and the government gets what it is supposed to get. That way, everybody will go home smiling.” The minister’s comment followed the move by the Federal Government to impose a 25% effective tax rate on rich Nigerians earning ₦100 million and above monthly in the country.

At least 105 people have been confirmed dead following a petrol tanker explosion in Majiya town, in Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Shiisu Adam, confirmed the figure in a telephone interview with PUNCH Online on Wednesday. He said that about 55 people sustained various degrees of injuries and were hospitalized at Ringim General Hospital. “As I am talking to you now, the casualty figure is about 105 and the number of injured is 55 as against the 50 earlier confirmed,” he said. According to him, the incident occurred at about 11:30 pm on Tuesday night in Majia Town, when the tanker driver lost control near Khadija University. The tanker, he said, left Kano, on its way to Nguru town in Yobe State, when the tanker driver eventually lost control of the vehicle and it exploded. It was gathered that after the incident some people went there to scope the product which led to the death of many persons. It was also gathered that some injured persons have also been taken to Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kudu due to the limited number of beds at the Ringim General Hospital. Preparations are currently being made to give the dead persons a mass burial given that the majority were burnt beyond recognition.

The Tunisian pilot who flew the Nigerian team to Libya has shed light on the circumstances that led to the unexpected diversion of their flight to a remote airport, Al-Abraq, instead of their intended destination, Benghazi. The diversion has been a subject of controversy since Sunday when the Nigerian delegation en route to Benghazi for the crucial Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya were left stranded for over 16 hours after their flight was diverted mid-flight to Al Abraq, a small airport typically reserved for hajj operations. In a video interview sighted by our correspondent and posted on X by Sports Journalist Pooja Media on Tuesday, the pilot emphasised that the decision was not made at his discretion but came from Libyan authorities. “The flight plan was to land at Benghazi, Benina, and we had the approval from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority to do so,” the pilot said. “However, when we began our descent, they instructed us to divert to Al-Abraq, which is almost 150 miles away, around 300 kilometres east. It wasn’t even (listed as) our alternate airport, something which is not good,” he added. The pilot described the diversion as potentially risky, citing the fuel calculations made for the initial destination. “In aviation, we have our flight plan, we calculate the fuel to our destination, so we have to avoid this kind of thing because it may make a breach to safety,” he stated, adding that he repeatedly questioned the directive. “When I asked to land in Benghazi according to my flight plan and according to my authorisation, they said no, it’s from the highest authority, you have to land in Al-Abraq.” Refuting claims from the media that the diversion was his decision, he said, “Everything is registered in aviation, we cannot hide anything, so I asked them several times, at least eight times, and I warned them, probably I will be in trouble for fuel; they said it’s from highest authority, you cannot land in Benghazi, you have to divert immediately to Al-Abraq,” he added. The pilot noted that all relevant communications and authorisations are documented and could be provided as evidence if needed. He said, “The truth was we were going to Benghazi, and I can show you the evidence of the approval, I have it. But at the last minute, they changed their mind and changed the airport.” Describing the conditions at Al-Abraq, the pilot highlighted the challenges of landing at what he referred to as a poorly equipped domestic airport. “There is no ILS (Instrument Landing System), no air navigation approach, no VHR (VHF Omnidirectional Range). We had to make a visual landing, which is particularly difficult by night with marginal weather,” he said, adding that the airport’s lack of facilities left them with “no second chances” if the landing had gone wrong. The pilot’s familiarity with the region, having worked there for two years with a Tunisian company, was crucial in managing the difficult landing. “It was not an easy matter at all. When a pilot hears this, he will understand that it was not an easy thing to land under such conditions. Thank God we made it safely,” he said. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to pull the Super Eagles out of qualifier match against Libya. “Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the statement said.

Gunmen have killed five people in a fresh attack on some rural communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. This was confirmed in a statement on Tuesday by the Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council, Farmasum Fuddang and the Secretary, Duwam Bosco. They said the attack happened on Monday, October 14, decrying previous attacks that have led to the death of several people in the past. “Despite credible warnings by a reputable media outlet on October 12th, terrorists, identified by witnesses as members of the Fulani tribe, launched a brutal attack on the village of Rafut in the Kwatas district shortly after 7 pm on October 14th, this unprovoked assault occurred even after a security meeting with police and military authorities in Bokkos on October 13th. “Four young men, who were out guarding their family’s home, were tragically ambushed as they stood watch; the attackers thereafter stormed the compound, killing an elderly man, bringing the total fatalities to five,” the statement read. The tragic incident occurred on the heels of a week marked by bloody attacks, during which over 10 members of the community were brutally murdered. “Five in Wumat on October 7th , four in Kuba on October 10th, one in Maikatako on October 11th, and another on October 12th.” “Additionally, we have endured numerous assaults in the previous month, including six fatalities in Daffo on September 3rd, two in Tarangol on the same day, five in Mbar on September 16th and two in Kop Mandarken on September 20th 2024,” the statement added. The group commended security agencies for repelling the assailants and called for more efforts and collaboration with the locals to secure the community. “We commend the swift action taken by the military, which resulted in the rescue of Yelwa sunday mashat, who is currently recovering from severe injuries sustained during the attack. we also acknowledge the apprehension of several suspects and large cattle herds they drove into the road to block the victim. “However, it is with deep regret that we observe the attack on Rafut occurred despite warnings clearly identifying these areas as at risk.” “More worrisome is the fact that it occurred mere hours after residents of Rafut reached out to police authorities reporting suspicious activity by Fulani groups in the area. similar intelligence was shared shortly after the Wumat attack on October 7th including names of identified suspects, who still roam free,” they said.

Charles Soludo, governor of Anambra state, says the new laws passed by the house of assembly will give life to the supreme court’s verdict on local government autonomy. Last week, the Anambra state house of assembly passed two “progressive” legislations into law. The bills are the Anambra State Local Government Administration Bill 2024, and Anambra State Economic Planning and Development Bill 2024. The legislations mandate LGAs to remit a portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account controlled by the state government. In July, the supreme court ruled that the federal government should pay allocations directly to LGA councils. The seven-member panel of justices held that state governments have continued to abuse their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs. The apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGAs governed by unelected officials — prompting states with caretaker committees to organize LGAs elections recently. Soludo said the ruling on financial autonomy for LGAs would strengthen Nigeria’s evolving federalism. “I have signed two progressive legislations by the Anambra house of assembly— the Anambra State Economic Planning and Development Law, 2024, and the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law, 2024 – into law,” the governor said. “In our evolving federalism, I see the Supreme Court judgment on direct local government fund transfers as an important step towards effective, transparent resource administration and public good. “Given the Constitutional mandate, I see the judgment as an opportunity for transparency, predictability, and coordination between State and local government, empowering LG administration. “There’s more work to be done. How will LG funds be appropriated, spent, or accounted for? Who oversees their expenditure and ensures transparency? “This is where Section 7 of the Constitution comes handy, and the Anambra State House of Assembly has risen to the occasion— happily, the Supreme Court did not nullify Section 7 of the Constitution.” The governor noted that the new laws in Anambra state will make the judgement of the apex court operational. “The new laws by Anambra House of Assembly are therefore consequential to give operational life to the Supreme Court judgment and not to undermine it,” he said. “If the State House of Assembly abdicates this constitutional duty, the Local Government will then have no law on the use and management of its finance which the Constitution has given the State House of Assembly (and only the House of Assembly) the mandate to legislate on. “State Assemblies can suspend/remove local government chairpersons. Isn’t their legislative authority under Section 7 similar to National Assembly’s power over Federal Capital Territory?” “Many Nigerians ask the same question. I also understand that the Senate recently resolved to begin the process of Constitutional amendment in this regard. “This is a welcome development. But until that is done, our laws pursuant to the Constitution and designed to give operational effect to the Supreme Court judgment remain subsisting and valid.”