Economy

FG Shifts Deadline for 50% Discount for Business Name Registration

Published

7 years ago

07/05/2019

Federal Government has directed the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to extend by three months, the 50 percent discount given to MSMEs for the registration of their businesses.

Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, who gave this directive at the first quarter MSMEs stakeholder meeting held at the Presidential Villa, explained that the extension was spurred by the successes recorded in the earlier window.

In October 2018, CAC announced the reduction of the cost of business name registration from N10,000 to N5,000 to help to bring as many MSMEs to formalize their businesses. The exercise was earlier extended till March 31, 2019 before this recent extension

At the recent meeting, Mr Osinbajo also directed the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to speedily harmonise issues relating to overlapping responsibilities for product registration.

In the same vein, he directed relevant government agencies to speedily come up with better funding strategies for small businesses in the country.

“Having listened to all the issues raised in the report and from your various contributions about funding, I think you should come up with suggestions on better funding for startups and MSMEs, we need to address this issue as quickly as possible,” the Vice President said.

He said relevant agencies of government must ensure that loan beneficiaries were equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to better manage their businesses.

Mr Osinbajo urged regulators in the MSMEs sector to leverage technology to help build capacity for owners of small enterprises as well as broaden the impact of their interventions.

Continuing, the Vice President solicited the support of the relevant agencies for the Shared Facilities project for MSMEs which has already commenced in locations across the country.

Earlier, a presentation on the National MSMEs Clinics indicated that the clinics have been held in 23 states of the federation while One-Stop-Shops have been established in seven cities and shared facilities built in Oyo and Bauchi states.

The report also indicated that business registration increased from 54,000 to 163,000 within six months of introducing the special window for subsidized registration costs.

In his remark, Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Kayode Pitan, emphasized the need for MSMEs to establish a company to de-risk BOI loans to MSMEs.

He said the organization was working in partnership with the Development Bank of Nigeria to enhance access to finance for MSMEs by providing a guarantee for commercial banks.

The meeting was attended by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Ambassador Adeyemi Dipeolu, and heads of relevant agencies in the MSMEs sector including the BOI, Federal Inland Revenue Service, NEXIM Bank, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Development Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Bank of Agriculture, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, and NAFDAC.

Economy

All Set for Champion Breweries’ 50th AGM on Thursday

Published

3 hours ago

19/05/2026

Aduragbemi Omiyale

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.

Economy

NRS Launches Unified Tax ID System

Published

8 hours ago

19/05/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

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.

Economy

OTC Securities Exchange Falls 1.31% as Key Stocks Decline

Published

11 hours ago

19/05/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

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.