Economy
Bail Out Funds to States Illegal—Tukur
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Bailout funds to state governments by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration have been described as illegal by two time Chairman of Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr Hamman Tukur.
In an interview with Economic Confidential in his office in Kaduna, Mr Tukur queried the rationale for such disbursement, saying “Buhari gave out a lot of money to states recently in the name of bail-out. Who gave him that money? How did he get access to the Federation Account, or the authority to release that money? Did he go through appropriation for approval? If he released the money before it was approved, then it is illegal.”
He said further that, “In any case, who told the states to be broke? Who stole their money? He (Buhari) should have asked the state governors where their money was. Some people argue that the money used for the bail-out was from the Nigeria LNG dividend. But, the Constitution is very clear: all revenues of government must go into the Federation Account first before anything.”
“The only exception that is made is written in the Constitution itself, and that is Armed Forces, including the military, Police and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Anybody or agency paying tax to government for whatever description it should be channelled to the Federation Account,” he added.
Mr Tukur also recalled that RMAFC also rejected such move during the Obasanjo administration.
“Yes I think it was only when Obasanjo asked for $5.3 billion to finance NIPP (National Integrated Power Project) that the Commission said he cannot take it from the Federation Account without recourse to the other tiers of government.
“We told him that if he wanted any money, he should take it from the Federal Government’s share of the money, and then go to the National Assembly for approval.
“You are aware of the recent bail-out by the Federal Government to states. The president should tread softly. We have to caution President Buhari the same way we did to Obasanjo when he wanted $5.3 billion.
“When the Commission said he cannot take the money, one day he had to send the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed to come and tell the Commission that he wanted that money. I said no, the money does not belong to me, but the Federation Account.
“What that means is that all the three tiers of government that own the Account must be aware and agree that the money be withdrawn for the purpose.
“Then the formula for sharing between the federal, states and local governments would apply. There should be no question of states staying somewhere to allocate what the local governments want. This is wrong. The money in the Federation Account belongs to the federal, states and the local governments. This is democracy.
“That is what applies to the National Population Commission. If the Commission says one village is 200,000 people, before anyone can undo it and change that decision, it would pass through a lot of processes.
“That is why one of the key responsibilities of the Commission is to mobilize government revenue to the Federation Account before allocating. It is total. Exceptions are clear, so that no one can pretend.
“What that means is that wherever any revenue has not been remitted to the Federation Account by any agency, the Commission must ask questions. If any money must be released, the National Assembly must be approached for supplementary appropriation,” he said.
Read the full Interview at Economic Confidential
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Barring any last-minute changes, the 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Champion Breweries Plc will take place on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, at 11:00 am.
At the yearly shareholders’ gathering, some of the key statutory and governance matters to be considered will include the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, alongside the Reports of the Directors, Auditors, and the Audit Committee.
Other agenda items are the declaration of dividends, election and re-election of Directors, authorisation for Directors to determine the remuneration of the Auditors, and election/re-election of shareholders’ representatives to the Audit Committee.
In line with its commitment to transparency, accountability, and shareholder engagement, the AGM will be held physically while also being accessible to stakeholders via the company’s official website: www.championbreweries.com.
This year’s AGM comes at a defining moment in the organisation’s corporate journey, following a transformative year marked by strategic expansion initiatives, including the acquisition of Bullet Energy Drink and its successful engagement with the capital market to raise growth capital.
These developments reinforce Champion Breweries Plc’s commitment to strengthening its competitive positioning, expanding its portfolio, and delivering long-term shareholder value.
The brewer has strengthened its transition into a group structure with the acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in enJOYbev B.V., a strategic move already delivering early earnings contribution and validating its international expansion drive.
The subsidiary’s results are now being consolidated into the Group accounts for the first time, with enJOYbev B.V. already contributing positively to earnings through operating profitability within the reporting period, an early validation of the group’s expansion strategy.
“This AGM reflects a defining chapter in our journey as a Company. The acquisition of Bullet, our successful capital market engagement, and the integration of enJOYbev B.V. into our group structure all signal a deliberate strategy for sustainable growth and diversification.
“These milestones position Champion Breweries Plc for stronger performance, broader market reach, and enhanced shareholder value. We remain committed to disciplined execution, operational excellence, and the highest standards of corporate governance,” the chairman of Champion Breweries, Mr Imo Abasi Jacob, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has unveiled a unified Taxpayer Identification (Tax ID) system for all taxable persons across the country as part of efforts to strengthen tax administration and improve transparency.
The agency announced the development in a public notice issued jointly with the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) on Monday.
According to the notice, the initiative is backed by Sections 6, 7, and 8 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, which mandate every taxable person in Nigeria to obtain a Tax ID, in a wider move to expand the country’s tax base.
The NRS said the new framework is designed to create a centralised and harmonised taxpayer database that would enhance interactions between taxpayers and revenue authorities at both federal and sub-national levels.
“The Tax ID will serve as a single, unified identity for all taxpayers, enabling seamless interaction with tax authorities at both federal and sub-national levels. It is designed to consolidate taxpayer records, eliminate duplication, and ensure more efficient management of tax-related information,” the agency stated.
The revenue agency explained that the new system would simplify tax compliance procedures, including taxpayer registration, filing of returns, and payment processes.
According to the NRS, the framework is also expected to improve accountability and reduce leakages in tax collection by creating better visibility and tracking of taxpayer information nationwide.
“The initiative will simplify tax compliance processes, including registration, tax filing, and payment procedures. The system will improve transparency by enabling better visibility and tracking of taxpayer records while reducing leakages and improving accountability in tax collection. The framework will also harmonise taxpayer information across all levels of government,” the notice added.
The agency further disclosed that the new Tax ID system would replace the existing Tax Identification Number (TIN) Validation API currently used by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), financial institutions, and other organisations for taxpayer verification.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Three bellwether stocks weakened the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 1.31 per cent on Monday, May 18.
This brought the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) by 54.71 points to 4,133.70 points from 4,188.41 points, and shrank the market capitalisation by N32.73 billion to N2.473 trillion from N2.506 trillion.
Yesterday, FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc contracted by N12.45 to sell at N146.55 per share compared with last Friday’s closing price of N159.00 per share, Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) Plc declined by N2.34 to N70.00 per unit from N72.34 per unit, and NASD Plc lost 50 Kobo to trade at N34.50 per share versus N35.00 per share.
The trio overpowered the N5.56 gained Newrest Asl Plc. This stock ended the trading session at N61.15 per unit, in contrast to the previous session’s N55.59 per unit.
During the trading day, the volume of securities traded by investors slid by 56.1 per cent to 514,142 units from 1.2 million units, and the value of securities dropped 29.8 per cent to close at N17.4 million versus N29.8 million, while the number of deals jumped 12.5 per cent to 27 deals from 24 deals.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by CSCS Plc with 60.8 million units exchanged for N4.1 billion, and Okitipupa Plc with 27.9 million units traded for N1.9 billion.
GNI Plc also ended the day as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, trailed by Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units valued at N415.7 million, and Infrastructure Guarantee Credit Plc with 400 million units transacted for N1.2 billion.
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