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Abia Seeks to Develop Small Businesses with SME Bank

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SME Bank

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Abia State Government has disclosed that its Small and Medium Scale Micro-Finance Bank will serve the needs of startups for business development.

This was disclosed by the state governor, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu through the Special Adviser to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Social Investments, Mr Chinenye Nwogu.

He said the SME bank, which was unveiled in Aba last Friday by Mr Ikpeazu, would focus on providing funds for developing small and medium scale businesses in Aba so as to make economic growth a reality in the state.

He said the idea of the bank was mulled by the Governor when he assumed office in 2015.

“The vision for this bank is to hand it over to the citizens to address the bottlenecks that hinder businesses from accessing micro credits so that they can continue to inject money and grow their businesses.

“So, this bank is a response to the challenge of access to finance in Abia and in the course of time, the bank will transit to become a bank owned by the people and not the government,” Mr Nwogu said.

The Managing Director of the bank, Mr Kingsley Nwobilor, also pointed out that the establishment of the bank was the right step in the right direction.

He thanked the Governor for the opportunity to showcase his understanding of what businesses in Abia needed, saying that the bank would provide a number of business credit opportunities for Abia entrepreneurs, to easily access funds within 24 hours and develop their businesses.

Mr Nwaobilor listed the bank’s packages to include Cluster Credit Scheme for traders, Save to Own for tricycle operators and taxi drivers, and Thrift Savings Credit Scheme for traders, especially market women.

Others are the Abia SME Bank Diaspora Investment Fund and Abia Youth Entrepreneurship scheme.

On his part, the Chairman, Ariaria International Market Traders Association, Mr Emeka Igara and President, Leather Products Manufacturers Association of Abia State (LEPMASS), Mr Okechukwu Williams, thanked the state government for establishing the bank.

They observed that the bank would help artisans expand and grow their work.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Economy

FG Releases Transition Guidelines for Tax Acts 2025

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Tax Acts 2025

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The transition guidelines on the Tax Acts 2025 to provide direction to taxpayers, tax practitioners, revenue authorities and other stakeholders on how to address various issues arising from the old regime to the new framework have been released by the federal government.

The framework was issued on Thursday via a statement signed by the Director of Press Relations in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie.

The guidelines set out the process for transition from the repealed tax laws to the new tax framework effective January 1, 2026.

Under the guidelines, the Tax Acts 2025, comprising the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, apply from the respective commencement dates as enacted in each law. In particular, January 1, 2026, for the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025.

Tax liabilities, assessments, audits, investigations, disputes and enforcement actions relating to periods before that date will be treated under the repealed tax laws, the notice stated.

Tax returns relating to accounting periods ending before January 1, 2026, will be filed under the previous tax laws, while returns relating to accounting periods ending from January 1, 2026, onward will be administered under the new tax framework.

The document also covers the treatment of income taxes, transaction taxes, development levies, tax incentives, exemptions, record-keeping obligations and transactions that span both the old and new tax regimes.

Existing tax incentives and exemptions granted under the repealed laws will remain in place until their expiration dates. New applications and pending requests, however, will be considered under the provisions of the Tax Acts 2025.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, described the Tax Acts 2025 as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s tax reform programme, noting that the Guidelines set out how existing obligations, ongoing matters and future transactions will be treated under the new regime.

According to the Minister, the guidelines are anchored on three key principles – clarity, fairness and administrative certainty, adding that they are intended to promote uniform implementation and support effective administration across the Nigeria Revenue Service, State Internal Revenue Services, the FCT Internal Revenue Service, Local Government Revenue Committees, tax practitioners and taxpayers nationwide.

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Economy

Federal, State, LG Councils Share N2.3trn FAAC Allocation

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faac allocation

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total of N2.300 trillion among the federal government, state governments, and Local Government Councils from the revenue generated in May 2026.

The amount is slightly higher than the N2.257 trillion distributed last month, according to a statement issued by the Head of Information at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs Efe Ovuakporie.

The FAAC allocation was confirmed at its June 2026 meeting following consideration of revenue receipts for the month of May.

The total distributable revenue of N2.300 trillion comprised N1.611 trillion from statutory revenue and N688.785 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT).

From the distributable amount, the federal government received N818.680 billion, while state governments got N759.141 billion. Local Government Councils were given N534.277 billion, and oil-producing states received N188.132 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue.

The gross statutory revenue for the month stood at N2.652 trillion, representing an increase of N273.623 billion compared to the N2.378 trillion recorded in April 2026.

FAAC reported significant increases in collections from Companies Income Tax (CIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Stamp Duties, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), and oil royalties during the period under review.

However, collections from Import Duty, Value Added Tax (VAT), Excise Duty, and Common External Tariff (CET) levies recorded declines compared to the previous month.

Gross VAT revenue for May 2026 stood at N743.668 billion, lower than the N806.617 billion collected in April 2026.

The committee noted that despite the decline in VAT collections, overall revenue performance for the month was strengthened by improved receipts from petroleum-related taxes and Companies Income Tax.

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Economy

NGX Suspends Trading in Fortis Global Insurance Equities

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Fortis Global Insurance

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Trading in the equities of Fortis Global Insurance Plc on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has been suspended.

The action was taken on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, by the regulatory subsidiary of the NGX Group Plc, NGX Regulation (NGX RegCo) Limited.

It was to prevent investors from buying and selling the company’s securities on the stock market ahead of its share reconstruction.

According to a circular signed by the Head of Issuer Regulation Department of NGX RegCo, Mr Godstime Iwenekhai, the suspension is also to determine the shareholders who are entitled to receive the reconstructed shares.

“Trading license holders and the investing public are hereby notified that trading in the shares of Fortis Global Insurance Plc was suspended on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

“The suspension is necessary to prevent trading in the shares of Fortis Global Insurance Plc to enable the Company’s Registrars and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS) to reconcile their books for the listing of the reconstructed shares on Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX).

“The suspension is also required for the purpose of determining the shareholders who are entitled to receive the reconstructed shares,” the notice stated.

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