Business
Mining Stakeholders Hails Return of Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi to drive non-oil sector
The Association of Small Scale Miners of Nigeria (ASSMN) Zamfara State Chapter , and the Nigerian Chamber of Mines and Geological Workers have applauded the reappointment of the Executive Secretary of Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (SMDF/PAGMI), Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi, by President Bola Tinubu.
In separate statements, the leadership of the associations expressed gratitudes to President Tinubu: “It’s a well-considered appointment that will further consolidate, deepen, and strengthen the solid minerals sector.”
The Chairman of ASSMN, Abubakar Rabiu, also congratulated Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi on President Tinubu’s renewal of her appointment and urged her to justify the confidence Nigerians reposed in her to drive the non-oil sector of the economy in tandem with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda of a prosperous, equitable, and just democratic nation.
The association praised Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi for her dedication and commitment to developing the solid minerals sector in Nigeria.
This sector has attracted foreign investors, empowered local miners, and provided jobs to thousands of youths, thus contributing significantly to the country’s gross domestic product.
According to the association, Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi is a paragon of excellence and will be motivated to take the solid minerals sector to the next level.
“The association is proud of Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi and will support her leadership of SMDS/PAGMI in revamping the nation’s economy and providing citizens with democratic dividends.
“We urge Nigerians to support this woman of destiny in our collective quest for a better society,” said Abubakar Rabiu.
Similarly, the Nigerian Chambers of Mines, Geological Workers, also throw its weight behind Fatima’s reappointment.
With a deep understanding of the solid minerals sector’s challenges and prospects, she will effectively tackle illegal mining, poor regulatory compliance and formulate policies that promote best practices in the industry.
The Association’s Chairman, Silas Kefas, described her reappointment as a well thought out decision and underscored the government’s confidence in her impactful leadership aimed at harnessing the solid minerals sector’s full potential and economic diversification essential for sustainable development and prosperity.
“A visionary leader and master strategist in the solid minerals industry, Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi’s laudable reform has revolutionalized the sector, attracted local and foreign investors and repositioned Nigeria as a competitive player in the global minerals market.
“With a renewed mandate, the solid minerals industry will witness significant advancement in the promotion of artisanal gold mining and value chain development, capacity building, job creation, infrastructural development, enhanced export capacity, financial prudence and significant contribution to the country’s gross domestic product that will revive the economy and foster prosperity to citizens.
With a deep understanding of the solid minerals sector’s challenges and prospects, she will effectively tackle illegal mining, poor regulatory compliance and formulate policies that promote best practices in the industry.
“We recall with pride the recent SMDF’s empowerment programme for 1000 women entrepreneurs in gemstone mining and utilisation as part of efforts towards contributing to the nation’s economic diversification starting with 100 womenparticipants in Lagos.
We are optimistic that thousands of women and youth will benefit from this worthy programme that will improve their well-being and make them self-reliant.
“We identify with Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi’s remarkable leadership and will always partner with SMDF/PAGMI to take the solid minerals sector to greater heights.
“We are all in it together to diversify and revamp the economy in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Congratulations to the great Amazon of the solid minerals sector. It is a well-deserved re-appointment for continuity, development and advancement of SMDF/PAGMI.”
Business
Facebook, Others Pay Nigerian Govt N600bn VAT
The Special Adviser on Tax Policy to the Chairman of the Tax Reforms Committee, Mr Mathew Osanekwu, disclosed this during a workshop for media practitioners in Abuja on Wednesday.
Global digital service providers like Facebook, Amazon, and Netflix paid more than N600 billion Value Added Tax to the Nigerian government.
The Special Adviser on Tax Policy to the Chairman of the Tax Reforms Committee, Mr Mathew Osanekwu, disclosed this during a workshop for media practitioners in Abuja on Wednesday.
He explained that amendments to the VAT Act had empowered the Federal Inland Revenue Service to bring non-resident companies offering services in Nigeria into the tax net.
“These are not Nigerian entities, but they are now paying VAT under Section 10 of the VAT Act.
They are registered in Nigeria and are also appointed as agents of collection,” Osanekwu stated during a workshop for media practitioners in Abuja on Wednesday.
He stressed that the move aligns with global best practices and ensures Nigeria benefits from taxes on services consumed locally but delivered by foreign companies.
Business
FG gazettes new tax reform laws
The gazette stated, “Small businesses with turnover under ₦100m and assets below ₦250m are exempted from corporate tax.
• President Bola Tinubu
The Federal Government has published Nigeria’s new tax reform laws in the official gazette following President Bola Tinubu’s assent on June 26.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Personal Assistant on Special Duties to the President, Kamorudeen Yusuf, on Wednesday.
The reforms introduce four legislations: the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025.
The gazette stated, “Small businesses with turnover under ₦100m and assets below ₦250m are exempted from corporate tax.
“Corporate tax rate for large firms may be cut from 30% to 25% at the President’s discretion.
“Top-up tax thresholds: ₦50bn (local firms) and €750m (multinationals).“5% annual tax credit was introduced for eligible priority-sector projects.
“Companies transacting in foreign currency may now pay taxes in naira at official exchange rates.”The Nigeria Tax Act and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act will take effect from January 1, 2026, while the Nigeria Revenue Service Act and the Joint Revenue Board Act became effective from June 26.
“These reforms aim to simplify Nigeria’s tax system, support small businesses, attract investment, and strengthen fiscal stability, aligning with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to diversify revenue away from oil,” said the statement.
… As PTD Passes Vote of No Confidence on NUPENG Leaders
The Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) has levelled serious allegations against the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), accusing it of extortion and excessive levy collections within the downstream petroleum sector.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, ADITOP’s National President, Alhaji Lawal Dan-zaki, strongly dissociated the association from the purported strike action by NUPENG, declaring that ADITOP was originally established to counter what he described as the “excesses” of NUPENG, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), and other groups allegedly collecting illegal levies under NUPENG’s cover.
Dan-zaki alleged that for the past five years, ADITOP had submitted several petitions to top government agencies—including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation—accusing NUPENG of extortion and illegal financial practices.
According to him, NUPENG and its affiliates impose unauthorized levies on petroleum product distributors, including a charge of ₦1 per litre on every product loaded at depots, and an additional ₦1 per litre by marketers, alongside loading fees ranging between ₦80,000 and ₦100,000 per truck.
“This is outright extortion and economic sabotage by NUPENG, PTD, and their affiliated unions and associations,” Dan-zaki stated.
The allegations surfaced just days after the Lagos Zone of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG passed a vote of no confidence on the union’s national leadership. The vote targeted NUPENG National President, Comrade (Prince) Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, accusing them of “greed, impunity, manipulation, and gross incompetence.”
The internal dissent follows rising tensions over reported resistance by Dangote Refinery and MRS Holdings Limited to unionize their drivers and the rollout of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks for nationwide fuel distribution.
Dan-zaki concluded that while NUPENG continues to feed off these alleged illegal levies, it remits no tax revenue to the federal government, further exacerbating challenges in the downstream sector.
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