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Economy

CBN Sells Dollar to BDCs at N1,101/$1 to Cheapen Exchange Rate

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By Adedapo Adesanya

As part of its efforts to continue to ease the exchange rate in the country and strengthen the Naira, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has offered to sell Dollars to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators at N1,101/$1.

In a circular issued on Monday, the CBN announced the sale of $10,000 to each of the approved 1,588 BDCs in the country, directing them to sell to their eligible customers at a rate not exceeding 1.5 per cent above the purchase price.

According to the notice seen by Business Post, these forex traders are not allowed to exchange the local currency with the American currency higher than N1,117/$1, as failure to adhere to this could attract sanctions.

The selling rate is below the N1,251.05/$1 recorded at the end of last week, according to data from the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM).

At the cost of N1,101/$1, the auction of the $10,000 means the CBN made over N15.89 billion from the 1,588 eligible BDCs highlighted in the circular.

Last week, the Naira posted further appreciation for the entire four days of trading at the official market, as it moved to post-devaluation levels. It is now cheaper to get FX on the streets than at official, regulated channels following recent policies by the CBN under Governor Yemi Cardoso.

The CBN this year alone has raised the benchmark interest rate by 600 basis points to 24.75 per cent in response to the country’s rapidly rising inflation. However, the CBN’s overall aggressive strategy has brought about some stability.

The use of unorthodox strategy, including cracking down on unofficial market operators and virtual service providers who it believes are exploiting the Naira’s weakness by driving demand for the US Dollar pegged USDT, has also provided support for the local currency.

Despite the return of the BDC players, the Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) in a letter signed by its President, Mr Aminu Gwadabe, to the Director, Trade and Exchange Department, said CBN’s selling rate to BDCs is very expensive.

The association, which is an umbrella body for CBN-licensed BDC operators, insisted that the Naira’s speedy recovery, which was faster than expected, had made it difficult to offload to retail end buyers that are trooping to the undocumented forex operators for cheaper rates and avoiding its services.

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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