Business

Experts Want Strict Enforcement Of Tax Laws

Published

7 years ago

September 19, 2018

Some tax experts have called for stricter punishment for tax defaulters, to make funds available for the provision of critical infrastructure and growth of the economy.
The experts, in separate interviews with The Tide source in Lagos, Monday also called for a probe of the tax records of politicians.
The experts spoke against the background of the recent revelation by the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) that close to 7,000 billionaires had defaulted in payment of tax.
Consequently, the FIRS said it would go after the defaulting taxpayers who were raking in billions in Nigeria and not paying taxes.
“This category of Nigerians has deprived the country of huge sums of money needed to build roads, hospitals, schools and others.
“Most developed and developing economies rely on tax for infrastructural development. There is need for stricter punishment on tax evaders in the country.
“Tax evaders are sent to jail in other climes,” Prof. Sheriffdeen Tella, a Senior Economist at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago, Iwoye, said.
The economist insisted that the FIRS should probe the tax records of politicians who were spending millions of naira to collect forms for their party primaries.
The Director, Legal Services, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr Seyi Alade, also attributed incessant tax evasion in Nigeria to non prioritisation of taxation by the Federal Government.
Alade said the federal government did not prioritise the issue of tax which could be used to develop infrastructure.
Alade explained that the revelation that more than 6,772 billionaires evaded tax meant that there was less revenue available to the government to fund critical infrastructure.
According him, such huge tax evasion was partly responsible for the level of the country’s rising external debt, because government is borrowing more to take care of the infrastructure gap.
“Taxation is a tool for economic management and development and should support sustainable growth and infrastructural development at all times.
“Payment of taxes is a civic responsibility of all legible tax payers and evasion of taxes is tantamount to depriving the economy of its sustainable means of economic development.
“Tax evasion is the bane of the tax system and it is also a criminal offence and should be strongly decried.
“Of course it will lead to tangible economic loss more so as revenue from oil is no longer stable,” Alade said.
The Assistant Director, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Mrs Oso Afolake, advised the federal government to streamline the taxation system for more revenue generation.
Afolake blamed the rampant tax evasion in the country to weak taxation system, which she said was fixable by the government.
She called for more stringent application of the nation’s tax statute by tax authorities against tax defaulters and also against entities that have statutory duties to remit taxes.
According to her, for multinationals like MTN and many others operating in Nigeria to evade tax, means lots of economic loss on the country.
She said it would impact on the economy negatively; making the tax to GDP ratio to remain low.
“Tax evasion results to reduction in revenue obtainable from taxes and this will deprive government the required resources to perform its statutory duties.
“Our government usually doesn’t give priority to the issue of tax, may be because of the resources at their disposal.
“It behooves on the government to restructure the tax system such that every legible taxpayer will be compelled to pay tax as at when due,” Afolake said.
The president, International Centre for Tax Research and Development, Mrs Morenike Babington-Ashaye, urged government to lay emphasis on building Nigerians’ attitude towards voluntary compliance to tax law through processes and procedures.
Babington-Ashaye argued that using the banks to go after defaulting taxpayers was not a legitimate process.
“Actually, I don’t believe the FIRS should be going beyond the law. The process by the FIRS is turning to be a military system.
“The only way they can do that is if they go through the judiciary process by taking the defaulting taxpayers to court. Then, the court makes a judgement that they pay penalty and interest,” she said.
Babington-Ashaye, also a founding member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), described the FIRS’s process of asking the banks to seize money as ‘going through the back door’.
This, the president said might lead to customers not saving their money in the banks, thereby reducing their resources for operation.
“It will also encourage some individuals and companies to be transacting businesses in another companies’ names. So, the process is not legitimate.
“In the first instance the banks are not direct agents and do not have any judiciary position between the FIRS and the taxpayers,” she said.
A Tax Leader, PwC West Africa, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, described the process as unconventional, and that executing such order should be in accordance with the law to avoid negative impact on businesses and ease of paying taxes.
Oyedele advised that tax payers to pay attention to their tax affairs and discharge their tax obligations as and when due.

Business

TTP Trains Customs Agents, Freight Forwarders On Eto App

Published

1 day ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.

Business

NECA Holds MSME Fair To Drive Growth

Published

1 day ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.

Business

Over 2m Passengers Board Blue Rail Train – Commissioner

Published

1 day ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos