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Economy

Road Infrastructure Tax is to Bridge Nigeria’s Revenue Gap—Nami

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Road Infrastructure Tax

By Adedapo Adesanya

To help cover Nigeria’s revenue shortfall, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says it is proposing the introduction of road infrastructure tax by making the informal sector contribute to building a modern society.

The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mr Muhammad Mamman Nami said this when a delegation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its National President, Mr Chris Isiguzo, met him in Abuja.

Mr Nami said the proposed road tax to be administered by the FIRS will provide the government with adequate funding for road construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance, as well as providing the needed security for roads in the country.

According to the FIRS boss, “One quick and very important intervention required of you is in the area of the Road Infrastructure Funding Scheme that the country needs in order fix our roads and bringing the informal sector to the tax net.”

He noted that in many jurisdictions, road users pay for the use of road infrastructure, adding that this should not be seen as an additional burden on the people because it has the potential of making life better for all.

Speaking further, Mr Nami stated that Nigeria’s economy presently relies heavily on non-oil revenues to discharge its statutory responsibility of paying salaries and providing social amenities to the citizenry.

“Without the tax that you pay, governments at all levels would not be able to fulfil their mandate to the electorates. Tax money also helps to ensure the roads you travel are safe and always in good condition,” he said.

He disclosed that the recent rise in the price of crude oil ordinarily should have impacted positively on the Petroleum Profit Tax payable by oil-producing companies. However, it has shown otherwise due to some reasons.

On the challenges facing the service of delivering on its mandate, he said “crude oil production has been limited by OPEC quota. Nigerian OPEC quota as at July 2021 was about 1.5 million barrels per day as against its crude oil production budget of 1.8 million barrels per day.

“This is a shortfall of 300,000 barrels per day. Our average daily crude oil production is around 1.250 million barrels per day as against the allocated 1.5 million barrels per day OPEC quota which has resulted in a shortfall of almost 250,000 barrels per day mainly caused by crude oil theft and force majeure declared by some of the IOCs.

“The total shortfall to FGN budgeted production is about 550,000 barrels per day.

“Huge losses brought forward and un-recouped capital allowances reported by most of the companies due to production shut in and the fall in oil price in 2020 as a result of the covid-19 pandemic which reduced their revenue.“

He said with challenges in the oil and gas sector, reforms have been carried out by the agency with a visible impact on the economy such as the deployment of technology in tax administration to improve domestic revenue mobilisation in view of dwindling oil prices.

Mr Nami added that the service created 10 Value Added Tax, VAT, Regional Coordination Offices across the country to drive collection of VAT.

He said, “We have commenced the usage of VAT Form 002A for enrolment and tracking of branch offices of major VAT payers. This will certainly improve our VAT collection and capacity. We achieved 114.66 per cent of our VAT collection target in the first half of the year.

“It will interest you to know that the service collected a total of N4.2 trillion between January to September 2021. This feat was achieved as a result of the efficiency and effectiveness of the TaxProMax Solution and intelligence/data we gathered, mined and analyzed in the period under review.

“The service successfully facilitated both the mock and external audits for the ISO 27001:2013 certification of the Exchange of Information (EOI) centre, to meet international information security management standards.”

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.

Economy

Nigeria’s Non-Oil Exports Grow 24.75% to $1.791bn in Q1 2025

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Non-Oil Exports

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has announced a 24.75 per cent increase in the value of the country’s non-oil exports, reaching a total of $1.791 billion in the first quarter of 2025.

It stated that the amount surpassed the $1.436 billion generated in the first quarter of 2024.

The Executive Director of the council, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, disclosed the figures while addressing the journalists in Abuja on Monday.

She said the significant growth reflects the resilience and diversification of Nigeria’s export sector beyond crude oil, a shift aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on oil revenue.

According to her, the surge in non-oil exports was driven by increased economic activity in the Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Solid Minerals sectors.

On the US 14 per cent trade tariff, the council says it was positive for the country, adding that it was an opportunity to focus on value addition and increased competitiveness in the global market.

Recall that Nigeria has reiterated plans to boost its non-oil revenues with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Jumoke Oduwole, saying the country was stepping up its diversification efforts.

Earlier this month, the Trade Minister said the nation would tackle this challenge with pragmatism, aiming to boost non-oil exports and strengthen economic resilience under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Mrs Oduwole had said the US remains a key partner, with bilateral trade reaching N31.1 trillion from 2015 to 2024.

The measures taken by the US presents destabilising challenges to price competitiveness and market access, especially in emerging and value-added sectors vital to our diversification agenda,” the minister explained.

“Government is implementing a range of interventions in policy, financing, infrastructure, and diplomacy to help Nigerian businesses remain competitive amidst regional and global tariff hikes,” Mrs Oduwole said as she outlined Nigeria’s response.

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Economy

Nigeria Missing in Top 10 Safest Countries for Foreign Investment List

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foreign direct investment

By Dipo Olowookere

A new report which listed the Top 10 Safest Countries for Foreign Investment has excluded Nigeria despite the efforts of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to make the country the preferred place to do business.

Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, Mr Tinubu has carried out some economic reforms aimed to attract investors to Nigeria, including the liberalisation of the foreign exchange (FX) market, removal of petrol subsidy, and streamlining the tax regime, among others.

In a recent study by Atmos, top 30 countries were identified based on economic stability, investment attractiveness, and political and economic stability.

In the outcome of the research made available to Business Post on Monday, it was stated that countries were evaluated using six metrics: economic stability rank, political stability score, global peace index, investment attractiveness, foreign direct investments (FDI), and GDP per capita. These metrics were ranked, with the top country receiving a score of 100.

“When evaluating investment potential, it’s clear that economic strength alone doesn’t paint the full picture.

“Political stability and a peaceful environment are equally essential in fostering a climate that attracts long-term investment. Investors are drawn to countries where risks are minimized and confidence in future growth is high, making these factors just as critical to a nation’s financial appeal,” the chief executive of Atmos, Mr Nick Cooke, stated.

Switzerland led the ranking as the lowest risk country to invest in, with a score of 100. It featured exceptional economic fundamentals and the highest GDP per capita among the top-ranked countries at nearly $100,000. Switzerland demonstrates balance across all metrics, ranking 2nd in economic stability while maintaining excellent political stability (1.07) and peace index scores (1.33).

Singapore followed in 2nd with a score of 90.21, standing out with the highest investment attractiveness (82.4) among the top three nations and exceptional foreign direct investment inflows of over $175 million, outperforming Switzerland in this metric. The city-state’s strategic position in Southeast Asia, combined with its second-place economic stability ranking, creates a powerful investment hub. Singapore’s global peace index of 1.3 is the best among all ranked countries, reflecting its excellent security environment.

The third of the list was Canada with a score of 89.53, demonstrating exceptional investment attractiveness (86.6) and solid political stability (0.82). Canada’s balanced approach to foreign investment has resulted in substantial foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows exceeding $47 million, positioning it as a reliable North American investment alternative. The country maintains strong economic fundamentals, offering a reasonable GDP per capita of $53,431.

Japan ranked 4th with a score of 88.77, featuring the highest investment attractiveness score (86.8) among all countries in the index. The Asian country has an excellent political stability (0.951) and a strong peace index rating (1.33), creating a secure environment for foreign capital. Despite having a lower GDP per capita than other top-five nations at $33,766, Japan’s economic resilience and technological innovation continue to attract nearly $20 million in foreign investments.

The 5th place was occupied by Germany with a score of 86.32. As Europe’s largest economy, Germany maintains excellent economic stability (ranked 3rd), following Switzerland and Singapore, and a strong investment attractiveness (84.6). With GDP per capita exceeding $54K and foreign direct investments approaching $20 million, Germany represents the centerpiece of European investment security.

Denmark is the 6th-lowest risk country to invest in, with a score of 84.38, featuring an impressive GDP per capita of $68,453 and excellent political stability (0.85). Denmark’s peace index of 1.3 places it among the safest nations globally, though its relatively modest FDI figures of $4.5 million reflect its smaller market size. The Nordic nations’ consistent economic policies and transparent business environment remain key strengths for investors seeking stability.

In the 7th, Australia scored 84.08, balancing strong political stability (0.921) with excellent investment attractiveness (81.9). Australia has attracted substantial foreign direct investments exceeding $32.5 million, second only to Singapore among the top ten countries. Australia has attracted $32.5 million in foreign investments, substantially higher than Denmark and second only to Singapore. It also offers a GDP per capita of $64,820 with a relatively stronger peace index (1.525) compared to several preceding countries.

Norway was in 8th with a score of 82.44. With the second-highest GDP per capita at $87,925, Norway only trails Switzerland in this metric. It maintains solid political stability (0.89) and investment attractiveness (78.8), though its economic stability rank (11th) is the lowest among the top ten countries. The Nordic nation has attracted over $10.7 million in foreign investments despite its relatively small market size.

The United Arab Emirates took the 9th position with a score of 80.71, claiming the top position in economic stability among all countries in the index. The UAE combines this economic strength with moderate political stability (0.681) and substantial foreign investments exceeding $22.3 million. At the same time, its relatively weaker peace index score (1.979) and lower investment attractiveness (59.6) compared to other top nations prevent a higher overall ranking.

The 10th spot was grabbed by New Zealand with a score of 76.96, featuring excellent peace index ratings (1.31) but faces challenges with its economic stability ranking (18th) and modest foreign investment inflows of $3.59 million. The country’s investment attractiveness score of 63.0 is significantly lower than that of other top-ranked nations, reflecting its geographical isolation and smaller market size.

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Economy

NASD Exchange Drops 0.53% in Week 17 of 2025 Amid High Trading Volume

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NASD securities exchange

By Adedapo Adesanya

The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange decreased by 0.53 per cent on a week-on-week basis in Week 17 of the 2025 trading year.

This depleted the market capitalisation of the bourse by N10.14 billion in the four-day trading week to N1.914 trillion from the N1.924 trillion recorded in the previous week and the NASD Unlisted Securities Index (NSI) slid by 17.32 points to 3,269.06 points from the 3,286.38 points posted in Week 16.

There were only four trading days last week due to the Easter break stretching into the new week, though the market witnessed a higher turnover.

The volume of securities bought and sold by the market participants soared by 293,055.9 per cent to 3.9 billion units from the 1.33 million units recorded a week earlier, and the value of shares skyrocketed by 33,661.6 per cent to N9.9 billion from the N29.35 million achieved in the preceding week.

The most traded security by value for the week was Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (InfraCredit) Plc with N9.5 billion, Geo-Fluids Plc recorded N355.4 million, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc traded N7.2 million, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc transacted N3.8 million, and Afriland Properties Plc posted N2.5 million.

Also, InfraCredit Plc was the most traded instrument by volume with 3.7 billion units, Geo-Fluids Plc transacted 207.7 million units, UBN Property Plc recorded 1.04 million units, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc traded 0.201 million units, and CSCS Plc exchanged 0.178 million units.

Five securities ended on the losers’ table, with FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc leading after shedding 6.0 per cent to end at N35.37 per share compared with the previous week’s N37.64 per share.

Further, 11 Plc fell by 3.8 per cent to close at N236.25 per unit versus N245.50 per unit, UBN Property Plc lost 3.2 per cent to trade at N2.10 per share versus N2.17 per share, CSCS Plc declined by 1.8 per cent to N21.71 per unit from N22.10 per unit, and Afriland Properties Plc slumped by 0.1 per cent to N17.78 per share from N17.80 per share.

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