Business

FCMB and Others Sealed Over N100 Billion Tax Liabilities

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2 years ago

November 27, 2024

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Activities came to an unusual end this morning, at the First City Monument Bank located along Yakubu Gowon Way, Kaduna as the bank was sealed off over non payment of tax.

According to report, the Kaduna revenue agency sealed off the Bank and other business concerns in the vicinity over N100bn tax liabilities

The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) enforcement team was led by the Board Secretary and Executive Director Legal Services, Barrister Aisha Ahmad, who insists the agency embarked on the enforcement of non-payment of the Land Use Tax after exhausting all legal avenues of settlement.

Meanwhile, a new report by the Tax Justice Network has revealed the global community, including Nigeria, loses $492 billion annually in tax to multinational corporations and wealthy individuals using tax havens to underpay tax,

The report featured no fewer than 20 countries (jurisdictions) under the Corporate Tax Haven Index (CTHI), a ranking of countries most complicit in helping multinational corporations underpay corporate income tax.

British Virgin Islands sits on top of the list with a score of 3,061, followed by Cayman Islands (2,891), Bermuda (2,478), Switzerland (2,279), Singapore (2,059), Hong Hong (1,948), Netherlands (1,945), British Crown Dependency, Jersey (1,756), Ireland (1 622), and Luxembourg (1,480).

The Bahamas is ranked 11th with a score of 1,313, followed by the Isle of Man (1,144), Guernsey (1 122), Cyprus (1,046), while Mauritius (the only African country listed among the tax havens) is ranked 1,005.

China is ranked 974; United Arab Emirates (UAE), 964; United Kingdom (UK) is 894, France 883 and Malta 747.

The report further explained that the UK and its second empire is responsible for over a quarter of all countries’ tax losses (26 per cent), costing countries $129 billion a year.

Specifically, Nigeria incurs an annual loss of $383.9 million, arising from profit and tax losses to global corporate tax abuse, the report noted.

The just-released 2024 State of Tax Justice report, disclosed that of the $492 billion in global annual tax losses, $347.6 billion arise from cross-border corporate tax abuse by multinational corporations.

The total global loss comprises the combined costs of cross-border tax abuse by multinational companies and by individuals with undeclared assets offshore.

Nearly half the losses (43 percent) are enabled by eight countries that are opposed to the United Nations (UN) tax convention to check tax loopholes.

They include Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Ironically, these eight which, by their action, are the biggest enablers of global tax abuse are also some of the biggest losers.

The eight, constituting a small group of higher-income countries, account for just about 8 per cent of the global population and are known to have blocked the whole world from agreeing tax rules at the United Nations which were designed to curb global tax abuse.

According to the report, the largest component of global tax losses continues to be cross-border corporate tax abuse, adding that multinational companies are responsible for around a third of global economic output, half of world exports and nearly a quarter of global employment.

It explained that their tax abuse is a first-order global economic issue, depriving governments of tax revenues, increasing inequalities between and within countries, and undermining smaller and domestic businesses that generate the majority of employment.

Global tax abuse, the report argued, harms everybody, stressing that higher-income countries lose bigger sums, but lower-income countries’ losses make up a bigger share of their budgets.

“Lower income countries lose five times as much as a share of their public health budgets, compared to higher income countries,” it added.

The Tax Justice Network’s annual State of Tax Justice report measures how much tax every country loses to global tax abuse a year.

It stated that the most recent data (October 2024) indicated that multinational corporations are shifting $1.42 trillion worth of profit into tax havens a year, causing governments around the world to lose $348 billion annually in direct tax revenue.

The report disclosed that the eight countries which recently voted against UN tax convention terms lost $177 billion; $189 billion lost by 44 abstainers, and $123 billion lost by 110 countries voting for.

According to the report, multinational corporations are shifting more profit into tax havens and underpaying more on tax, evidencing failure of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD’s) tax reform attempts.

Offshore tax evasion by wealthy individuals dropped, but by far less than claimed, the report explained, adding that the majority of wealth offshore is still hidden from tax authorities.

With countries set to vote shortly at the UN on whether to finally enter formal negotiations on the meat of a UN tax convention, the Tax Justice Network urged all countries to vote in favour of the negotiations.

“Governments now have a chance to choose differently at the UN, to choose to use tax to protect people, economies and planet,” the report said.

The negotiation of a UN tax convention is widely seen as the biggest shakeup in history to the global tax system, and previously reported as the world’s best chance to avert losing nearly $5 trillion to tax havens over the next decade in last year’s edition of the State of Tax Justice.

The report disclosed that of the $492 billion lost to global tax abuse a year, two-thirds ($347.6 billion) is lost to multinational corporations shifting profit offshore to underpay tax.

The remaining third ($144.8 billion) is lost to wealthy individuals hiding their wealth offshore.

Business

Trade Fair Board Backs NAFDAC Crackdown

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3 days ago

October 15, 2026

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The Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board (LITFCMB) has condemned the use of its facility for the production of counterfeit products and other illegal activities, pledging to work with regulatory and law enforcement agencies to rid the complex of such practice

The board also commended the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for its recent enforcement operation, which led to the arrest of two persons allegedly linked to the illegal revalidation of expired drinks and the production of counterfeit consumables within the complex.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of LITFCMB, Veronica Safiya Ndanusa, said the activities were contrary to the board’s commitment to promoting legitimate trade and ethical business practices.

She disclosed that relevant authorities had commenced investigations to establish the facts surrounding the incident and identify measures to prevent a recurrence.

Ndanusa warned that individuals and businesses found culpable of engaging in activities that endanger public health or undermine the integrity of local manufacturing would face the full weight of the law.

“As a body rooted in the principles of ethical business practices, transparency and genuine trade, we strongly condemn any activity that threatens public safety or brings the reputation of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board into disrepute,” she said.

“Our facility exists to provide a conducive environment for legitimate businesses to thrive, not to serve as a breeding ground for the production or distribution of counterfeit and substandard products.”

The board chief assured members of the public that the management would collaborate with relevant regulatory and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the complex remained free of illegal activities.

She also urged traders and business operators within the facility to comply with established standards, stressing that the pursuit of profit must never come at the expense of consumers’ health and safety.

Business

Not The Right Time To Impose New Taxes , Oyedele Warns Governments

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5 days ago

October 13, 2026

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Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has cautioned governments against introducing new taxes or increasing existing tax burdens on vulnerable citizens and productive sectors, warning that such measures could deepen economic hardship.

Oyedele spoke on the sidelines of the 2026 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Bangkok, Thailand, where he presented a communiqué on behalf of the Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four (G24), which he chairs.

“This is the wrong time to impose new taxes or increase the burden of tax, particularly on the vulnerable population and productive sectors of the economy,” he said.

Responding to questions on how developing countries could reduce debt-servicing costs without cutting essential public spending,report quoted Oyedele as urging governments to identify waste, find savings and improve revenue collection before placing additional financial pressure on citizens and businesses.

He said borrowing remained necessary to finance economic growth but stressed that governments must ensure that debt supports job creation and inclusive development.

“Borrowing and debt financing is a necessary condition for growth, and every country emerging, developing must be able to apply debt financing in a way that is overall of positive impact, particularly to stimulate job-rich and inclusive growth,” he said.

The minister also called for available public funds to be prioritised for essential services, including healthcare and education, while private capital could help finance other areas of investment.

On the choice between taxation and borrowing, Oyedele said both options carried consequences and should be considered in the context of their impact on household welfare.

“If you collect taxes, you raise the money now, and that itself has a lot of trade-offs. What taxes are you collecting? You collect taxes from the most vulnerable, and this will deprive them of money to provide food, health, education,” he said.

He argued that excessive taxation could leave low-income households with less money for basic needs, while borrowing also carried future obligations.

“Debt is future taxes, so it’s not one or the other. It’s to strike a balance, bearing in mind ultimately that the essence of tax and of debts is to cater for the people,” Oyedele said.in the report.

Business

Fayemi Explains Why America Must Have Nigeria As Partner

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6 days ago

October 12, 2026

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Former Governor of Ekiti State and ex-Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has warned the United States against slipping into isolationism in its engagement with Africa, insisting that Nigeria remains a must-have strategic partner in the evolving global order.

Fayemi maintained this position in Lagos while speaking as a panelist at the Nigeria Moment, a Nigeria–United States Strategic Dialogue organised by the American Business Council in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation.

In his presentation, which focused on why Nigeria is a must-have partner in the changing world order, Fayemi,former chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) stressed the need for a more holistic relationship between both countries grounded in transparency, mutual benefit and shared prosperity.

He insisted that Nigeria must be treated as a strategic partner in the emerging world order.

“While welcoming the growing American interest in Nigeria’s vast mineral endowment, Fayemi warned that the partnership must go beyond resource extraction.

“Nigeria must be engaged as a strategic actor and a co-creator in shaping the future of global energy and resource governance, rather than as a testing ground for experiments. A partnership built on mutual respect, shared interests and long-term cooperation offers the strongest foundation for an enduring relationship between Nigeria and the United States,” Fayemi said.

Describing the engagement as a pleasure, Fayemi said the dialogue brought together a distinguished group of policymakers, business leaders and strategic thinkers to reflect on the future of Nigeria-US relations.

He commended the convener of the dialogue, Mr Ayo Otuyalo,for an excellent convening and for bringing together such high-level participants for the important strategic conversation.

The conference featured Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State as keynote speaker, alongside senior representatives of the Federal Government, including the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Power,

Also st the event were : Engr Joseph Tegbe; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, represented by Engr Simon Nkom; and the Head of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyinwa Eyesan among others.