Featured
Distortions In Development Process
There is a common idiom that a chain is as strong as its weakest link. This means that development process does not allow a vacuum, one-sidedness or the existence of gaps that would require some re-visitation in the future. This analysis of the process of development becomes necessary in view of the recent celebration of Nigeria’s 59th independence anniversary.
Wise nations never sit and wail their woes, but sit up to prevent the ways to wail. In nation-building, distortion means allowing pretentiousness, meretrciousness, verity and loquaciousness to give a misleading meaning to existing achievement.
It is as bad to disparage and undermine abilities and achievement, as it is to blow one’s own trumpet, or magnify efforts still in the embryonic stage, wise men would remind us that pride goes before a fall.
A common cause of distortion in development process is an expression known as jumping the gun”. This is a process of running before the appropriate time. Experts in development studies would emphasise reaching a state of readiness before embarking on any project. This pitfall of jumping the gun usually goes along with over-ambition, whereby things are done at a magnitude beyond available resources. A wise man advised that our business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.
Every society or nation usually has people who are progressive as well as those who are retrogressive, usually known as conservative people. Thus, there are forces of retrogression, looking back and longing for an illusory condition and advantages which ignore current realities and the good of the wider whole. Conservation in nation-building goes along with influence peddling, lobbying to have or control of power and the polity . The consequence is the emergence of a monstrous power structure which becomes a “Sapiental authority”, cabal, etc.
Emergence of a sapiental authority power structure or a formidable cabal makes it difficult for the popular will of the masses to become the basis of a democratic process. Rather, what comes into play would be internal contradictions which create wide gaps between government and the governed. There would also emerge an unbridgeable gap between the haves and have-nots, bringing about divisions, animosities, instability and crimes in society.
Obviously, there would be members of society who would benefit from and would encourage a continuation of intractable chaos in a policy that puts the interests of the masses in jeopardy. Patriotism in governance involves bridging the dangerous gaps which foster instability, which naïve analysts attribute to corruption. In reality, corruption is a symptom of in-built structural defects. The great pity is that many people rarely recognize the mechanism and intractable nature of the phenomenon of corruption.
The enigma in the Nigerian development process is the existence of in-built distortions which came into being through political shenanigans and the monopoly of power by faceless sapiental authorities.
The armed and security forces were instrumental in the installation of a power-structure which discounts the masses. The situation is more apathetic in the sense that it has become difficult to dismantle the institutions which would hardly allow best leaders’ to make any meaningful change or difference, even with the best intentions and plans. Therein lies the real corruption”
Incorporated into the power-structure which has held the nation to ransom is the element of religion, whereby there is no separation of religion from politics. This enigma brings elements of sacrilege as a clever weapon of the custody of power. Naïve Nigerians may not know the modus operandi of this clever line of distortion in Nigeria’s development process. Let it suffice to say that a nation where the minds of the people are held to ransom by religious dogmas, would have serious distortions in its development process..
An obvious disadvantage in non-separation of religion from politics is the injection of imperialistic culture in a nation’s development process, development is supposed to be indigenous, rooted in people’s culture, world view and mindset. Genuine nation-builders see the necessity of applying the policy of local contents, whereby available indigenous talents and abilities are utilized rather than borrow what is alien to the people.
Thus, one serious distortion in a nation’s development is what can be called “copy cat syndrome”, which can be facilitated by all forms of imperialism, including religion. Therefore, in the process of national development, decision-making with regards to identifying and sing sentiments what we call quota-system” in Nigeria has become so distorted that abilities, expertise and integrity that embrace patriotism can be thrown to the wind in various appointments. The nation suffers!
This pitfall brings along with it the use of people without adequate experiences and wide exposures to man strategic decision-making positions. What arises from placing wrong persons in strategic positions can easily be imagined in a nation’s development process. Much of the in-fighting, inefficiencies and corrupt practices common in public, establishments can be traced to distortions in man power placements and deployments.
Occupational or career misfits often exhibit elements of vanity and vaulting ambitions as self-preservation strategies in public services. The fear of their deficiencies and hollowness being known by their collegues makes them to become tyrants and terror to those who can be intimidated. With the above mentioned distortions existing as fundamental structures, development process in Nigeria would be a pipe-dream until such distortions are resolved. Where anti-democratic conservatism predominates, the masses are discounted and discountenanced.
Bright Amirize
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”