Economy
RMAFC to Review Revenue Allocation Formula After 29 Years
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) will submit a review of the revenue allocation formula to the Presidency by the end of the year.
Chairman of the commission, Mr Elias Mbam, confirmed this in Abuja, noting that President Muhammadu Buhari would have the new sharing pattern soon.
Mr Mbam said the review was one of the major responsibilities of the agency as it was last done in 1992, which was about 29 years ago.
He said that according to the constitution, the formula, which has been accepted as an act of the National Assembly, would remain in force for a period of not less than five years.
He, however, said that several attempts to review the formula had failed.
Mr Mbam said: “Proposal for new Revenue Allocation Formula for the three tiers of government (Federal, State and Local Governments) was first made by the Commission in August 2001.
“But the recommendation was withdrawn due to the compelling verdict of the Judgment of the Supreme Court on suit No. SC 28/2001 of April 5, 2002, which recognised the beneficiaries of the federation account as Federal, State and Local Governments.
“In December 2002, another proposal for a new Revenue Allocation Formula was presented to the then President, Federal Republic of Nigeria. That Formula got to the verge of being passed, but again, the bill lapsed with the expiration of the tenure of the then National Assembly in May 2003.
“Furthermore, in 2003, attempts were made by the National Assembly to reconsider the Revenue Formula bill initially submitted, but the efforts were not successful.
“However, an addendum to the original report was prepared and resubmitted to the National assembly in September 2004.
“The proposed Revenue Allocation Formula passed through several processes both in the senate and especially at the House of Representatives, where a public hearing was conducted in 2006 on the subject. Yet, the Formula could not see the light of the day.
“Similarly, the commission in 2014, made a concerted effort to review the Formula. All necessary processes required of the commission were concluded. However, the final process was inconclusive.”
The chairman said the process of sensitisation to the review of the revenue allocation formula had begun.
“The review of the revenue allocation formula will involve the following activities: a literature review of Revenue Allocation in Nigeria dating back to the pre-independent period.
“Study of fiscal matters relating to revenue allocation; invitation to memoranda from the Public sectors, individuals and private sectors across the country to allow for wider coverage.
“Visitation to the 36 states and 774 Local Government Areas to sensitise and obtain inputs from stakeholders.
“Wide range consultations with major stakeholders including leaders and elder statesmen; public hearing in all the Geo-political zones; and administering of questionnaires,” he said.
He also explained that the commission had begun sensitisation visits to states and local governments as part of the review process.
He stressed that the objective of the sensitisation was to enlighten major stakeholders to the need to fully participate, make relevant inputs and submit memoranda to the process of the review.
He said the commission had carried out the literature review on Revenue Allocation Formula in Nigeria dating back to the pre-colonial period, adding that the commission had advertised for submission of memoranda in the national dailies.
“Wide range consultation with major stakeholders is also in progress.
“I want to reiterate that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission is highly determined to produce within the shortest time possible, a new revenue sharing formula that will be fair, just and equitable to the three tiers of government.
“The commission has programmed to complete its review process by the end of 2021,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Market bellwethers, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, lifted the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 2.08 per cent on Monday, August 3.
CSCS Plc, the Nigerian securities depository company, gained N10.00 to close at N112.00 per share compared with the previous session’s N102.00 per share, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc advanced by N4.71 to quote at N152.64 per unit versus last Friday’s N147.93 per unit.
As a result, the NASD Security Index (NSI) added 92.14 points to finish at 4,523.85 points compared with the preceding session’s 4,431.71 points, and the market capitalisation appreciated by N55.31 billion to N2.715 trillion from N2.659 trillion.
Business Post reports that the price of MRS Oil Plc crashed during the trading day by N12.00 to N120.00 per share from N132.00 per share, and UBN Property Plc dipped by 3 Kobo to N1.90 per unit from N1.93 per unit.
Trading data showed that the volume of securities exchanged rose by 113.1 per cent to 1.5 million units from 690,990 units, and the number of deals climbed by 19.2 per cent to 31 deals from 26 deals, while the value of securities slid by 13.1 per cent to N65.2 million from N75.0 million.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units sold for N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 76.8 million units traded for N5.5 billion.
GNI Plc also closed the session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units exchanged for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has introduced a 1.5 per cent stamp duty on eligible virtual asset transactions, with the tax deducted directly from the cryptocurrency purchased before it is credited to the buyer’s wallet.
According to the new guidelines issued on Monday, anyone buying Bitcoin (BTC), USDT or other cryptocurrencies in Nigeria will receive fewer digital assets due to the deduction.
This requires registered crypto exchanges and other Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) to withhold the levy in the digital asset being traded and remit it to the government, marking Nigeria’s most comprehensive move yet to bring cryptocurrency transactions into the country’s tax net.
Unlike traditional taxes deducted from a customer’s bank account, the 1.5 per cent charge will be taken from the cryptocurrency itself, meaning buyers will receive less Bitcoin, USDT or other tokens than they paid for.
The tax body stated that “income tax deducted at source and stamp duty shall be remitted to the service in the originating token of the transaction.”
Besides the new stamp duty, the guidelines also clarify how income tax, Value Added Tax (VAT) and other tax obligations will apply to virtual asset activities such as trading, staking, mining and other crypto-related transactions.
To illustrate the new rule, the tax authority said a buyer who pays N1 million for one Bitcoin will receive only 0.985 BTC after 0.015 BTC is deducted as stamp duty and remitted to the government. When that Bitcoin is later sold, the next buyer will also have 1.5 per cent deducted from the cryptocurrency credited to their wallet.
The NRS said the guidelines are intended to provide clarity for taxpayers, crypto exchanges, peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace operators, financial institutions, tax consultants and all participants in Nigeria’s virtual asset ecosystem.
According to the guidelines, the 1.5 per cent duty applies to eligible virtual asset transactions facilitated through registered exchanges and other recognised intermediaries. Where a cryptocurrency is used to complete a transaction that already attracts stamp duty under the law, the applicable duty on the underlying instrument will also be payable.
For crypto users, the implication is higher transaction costs, as eligible purchases will attract the 1.5 per cent stamp duty, while VAT on exchange service fees and income tax on taxable gains may also apply, depending on the nature of the transaction.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira opened the week on a positive note, as it appreciated against the US Dollar by N3.39 or 0.25 per cent in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Monday, August 3, to N1,364.83/$1 from N1,368.22/$1 last Friday.
However, it suffered a marginal decline against the Pound Sterling in the official market during the session by 10 Kobo to close at N1,837.89/£1 compared with the preceding session’s N1,837.79/£1, and lost 6 Kobo on the Euro to sell at N1,573.93/€1, in contrast to the previous trading day’s N1,573.87/€1.
At the black market segment, the Nigerian currency traded flat against the Dollar yesterday at N1,405/$1, and at the GTBank forex counter, it was unchanged at N1,374/$1.
Interbank FX transactions increased sharply as market makers’ activities raised total Dollar volume exchanged to $137.048 million, more than 132 per cent above $58.990 million in turnover at the previous close. The surge in turnover was driven by increased deals at the NFEM window. The central bank reported that deal count at the interbank FX window rose to 138 from 67 on Friday.
As for the cryptocurrency market, major tokens advanced despite ongoing uncertainty around unresolved Coldcard wallet sweeps that have drained hundreds of Bitcoin (BTC), while traders are watching whether bitcoin can hold above $63,000 through the US session. BTC rose by 1.70 per cent to $63,765.88.
Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy disclosed Monday it sold 1,638 bitcoin for about $105 million between July 27 and Aug. 2, its third sale of 2026, per an SEC filing.
Also, an attacker has moved about 1,816 bitcoins, or roughly $114 million, from more than 5,200 addresses since July 30 in a fourth wave of sweeps targeting BTC in Coldcard-generated addresses.
Cardano (ADA) appreciated by 6.7 per cent to $0.1959, Binance Coin (BNB) gained 1.5 per cent to sell for $590.82, Solana (SOL) jumped by 1.3 per cent to $73.72, TRON (TRX) soared by 0.9 per cent to $0.3286, Dogecoin (DOGE) also grew by 0.9 per cent to $0.0703, Ripple (XRP) advanced by 0.5 per cent to $1.07, and Ethereum (ETH) rose by 0.4 per cent to $1,863.33, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 apiece.
