Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, recently emphasized that Nigeria’s primary revenue challenge is not the tax rate itself, but the need to bring more eligible individuals and businesses into the tax net. Speaking during a visit from the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) following the inaugural National Tax Awareness Day, the Minister noted that public misunderstanding remains a major barrier to compliance, as many citizens incorrectly assume every discussion on tax is a move to collect more money.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Promoting Fairness: The government aims to shift the focus toward fairness in administration, ensuring that everyone who is legally obligated to pay taxes does so.

• Clarifying Misconceptions: CITN President Innocent Ohagwa noted that many taxpayers are anxious about the new laws, mistakenly believing that all economic activities are now being taxed.

• Reliefs and Incentives: The reforms provide significant benefits, including:

  • Rent relief for individuals of up to 20 percent of annual rent, capped at N500,000.

  • Zero-rated Value Added Tax (VAT) treatment for essential items such as education, healthcare, food, and electricity transmission.

  • Exemptions from Companies Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and the Development Levy for businesses with an annual turnover under N100 million and fixed assets not exceeding N250 million.

• Institutional Commitment: The Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS) reaffirmed its commitment to a technology-driven, transparent tax administration system. Representatives from the NRS emphasized that sustainable revenue mobilization relies on building public trust and ensuring taxpayers understand the value of their contributions.

The awareness campaign coincides with the one-year anniversary of President Bola Tinubu signing Nigeria’s landmark Tax Reform Acts on June 26, 2025.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has signaled the potential return of former Adamawa State Governor, Senator Muhammad Jibrilla Bindow, to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Following a meeting regarding politics, governance, security, and shared interests, the Vice President posted a statement declaring, “BINDOW IS COMING!”.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Background on Departure: Bindow previously resigned from the APC in January 2023, citing a lack of genuine stakeholder reconciliation within the party.

• Time with ADC: After leaving the APC, Bindow joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

• Recent Political Activity: While he had previously withdrawn from the 2027 Adamawa governorship race under the ADC for personal reasons, he had reaffirmed his loyalty to that party at the time.

• Implications: The Vice President’s recent comments suggest that Bindow may be preparing to rejoin the APC in anticipation of the 2027 elections.

Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Attahiru Jega, has warned that the 2026 Electoral Act contains ambiguous and dangerous loopholes that could undermine the integrity of upcoming elections. Addressing the need for reform, Jega highlighted several critical concerns:....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Electronic Transmission of Results: Jega criticized Section 60(3), arguing that allowing manual collation when electronic transmission fails creates a loophole for politicians to fraudulently manipulate results. He further emphasized that the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) should not be the primary database for result declaration, as it is intended for public viewing rather than secure backend compilation.

• Judicial and Constitutional Issues: He faulted Section 83(5) for being too broad in barring courts from overseeing the internal affairs of political parties, noting that courts should retain jurisdiction when fundamental rights or the rule of law are violated. Additionally, he condemned the removal of candidate “qualification” as a ground for post-election challenges, suggesting this change unfairly benefits “certificate fraudsters”.

• Suggested Reforms: Jega recommended that the government unbundle INEC and strip the President of the power to appoint the commission’s leadership to ensure independence. He also called for a downward review of “excessively high” campaign finance limits, which he believes further monetize the electoral process.

• Judicial Integrity: The former chairman expressed deep concern over “judicial rascality,” urging the National Judicial Council (NJC) to address reckless actions by judges that damage public confidence in electoral outcomes.

Legislative Response While Jega urged the National Assembly to amend these laws before the mandatory six-month deadline established by AU and ECOWAS protocols, Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has ruled out any such amendments before the 2027 general elections. Bamidele argued that attempting to amend the 2026 Electoral Act so close to the polls would likely cause confusion and further distrust, stating that any necessary reforms must be postponed until after the elections are concluded.