Business

Defunct PHCN Workers Protest Non-Payment Of Entitlements

Published

12 years ago

January 15, 2014

In spite of BPE saying it has settled the entitlements of former workers of PHCN, some of the workers embarked on protests in some parts of the country on Monday.
It would be recalled that Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said last Sunday that it had paid the pension and gratuity of 43,375 of former workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
The Head of Public Communications of BPE, Mr Chigbo Anichebe, said in a statement that the beneficiaries were among 47,913 workers presented to the government at the beginning of the privatisation process.
But the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Monday threatened to shut down operations of all electricity distribution facilities if the Federal Government failed to pay its members’ terminal benefits within one week.
The National Vice-President of NUEE, Mr Mbang Etukubes, issued the threat during a peaceful protest at Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company in Lagos.
The workers’ protest disrupted business activities at the headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution zone and other district offices of the company as the protesters barricaded the entrances to the offices.
Etukubes said the workers would not hesitate to shut down all power installations in Lagos if the issue of their terminal benefits were not paid as mandated.
He said that the Federal Government had reneged on the agreements reached with the workers over their terminal benefits.
The union leader alleged that more than 10,000 former workers in the power sector had not been paid, while more than 25,000 workers had not received their pension components.
“Over 5,000 workers who retired statutorily are yet to be paid their gratuity.
“The death benefits of over 1,000 people who died in active service are yet to be paid to their families,” he added.
The Lagos State Secretary of NUEE, Mr Oluwagbenga Eric, also said that more than 60 per cent of the workers had not been paid.
Eric said that workers’ contributions toward pension fund to date had also not been paid.
He said the union and government agreed that no worker should be sacked till they had been fully paid but the government acted otherwise.
“We are not against privatisation but government should pay us our money and allow us to rest in our respective homes.
“It was agreed that workers should be allowed to be on duty for six months for the new investors engineers to take over in order to understudy us but we are forced out in the name of privitasation which is against the labour law,” he said.
Eric attributed interrupted power supply in the country to the fact that capable engineers who understood the system and the machines had been sacked.
He claimed that the country hardly generated 2,500 megawatts and stressed the need for total overhaul of the power sector to meet national demands.
On the occasion, the acting Director-General of BPE, Mr Ibrahim Babagana, apologised to the affected workers but promised that all would be paid within the next four weeks.
Babagana said that the managers of the power sector and labour unions would hold a technical meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation.
“I am worried and seriously embittered about the situation you found yourselves; I cannot pretend to say I don’t know what is going on in the system but it is not easy to compute about 47,000 workers’ entitlements without errors.
“We have identified those mistakes and we are working on it. I want to implore those who have not received their severance package to put their names down while I assure prompt payment.
“I will not be part of those who feel suffering you is the way to address issues, am also part of you and I know one day I will definitely be like you to get my entitlements.
“So, I do not want to be maltreated like this,” Babagana said.

Business

FIRS Clarifies New Tax Laws, Debunks Levy Misconceptions

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Inland Revenue Service has said that Nigeria’s newly enacted tax laws are designed to strengthen economic competitiveness, attract investments, and improve long-term fiscal stability.

The agency also clarified that the much-debated four per cent development levy on imported goods is not a new or additional tax burden, but a streamlined consolidation of several existing levies.

According a statement released Wednesday, one of the most misunderstood elements of the new tax framework is the four per cent development levy with the agency explaining that the levy replaces a range of fragmented charges — such as the Tertiary Education Tax, NITDA Levy, NASENI Levy and Police Trust Fund Levy — that businesses previously paid separately.

This consolidation, it said, reduces compliance costs, eliminates unpredictability and ends the era of multiple agency-driven levies. The law also exempts small businesses and non-resident companies, offering protection to firms most vulnerable to economic shocks.

Another major clarification relates to Free Trade Zones. Earlier commentary had suggested that the government was rolling back the incentives that have attracted export-oriented investors for decades. However, the reforms maintain the tax-exempt status of FTZ enterprises and introduce clearer guidelines to preserve the purpose of the zones.

“Under the new rules, FTZ companies can sell up to 25 per cent of their output into the domestic market without losing tax exemptions. A three-year transition period has also been provided to allow firms to adjust smoothly.

“Government officials say the reforms aim to curb abuses where companies used FTZ licences to evade domestic taxes while competing within the Nigerian market”, it said.

With the new measures, Nigeria aligns with global FTZ models in places like the UAE and Malaysia, where the zones function primarily as export hubs for logistics, manufacturing and technology.

The introduction of a 15 per cent minimum Effective Tax Rate for large multinational and domestic companies has also been met with public concern. But the FIRS notes that this policy aligns with a global tax agreement endorsed by over 140 countries under the OECD/G20 framework.

Without this adoption, Nigeria risked losing revenue to other countries through the “Top-Up Tax” mechanism, where the home country of a multinational collects the difference when a host country charges below 15 per cent. By localising the rule, Nigeria ensures that tax revenue from multinational operations remains within its borders.

Business

CBN Revises Cash Withdrawal Rules January 2026, Ends Special Authorisation

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

The Tide

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revised its cash withdrawal rules, discontinuing the special authorisation previously permitting individuals to withdraw N5 million and corporates N10 million once monthly, with effect from January 2026.

In a circular released Tuesday, December 2, 2025, and signed by the Director, Financial Policy & Regulation Department, FIRS, Dr. Rita I. Sike, the apex bank explained that previous cash policies had been introduced over the years in response to evolving circumstances.

However, with time, the need has arisen to streamline these provisions to reflect present-day realities.

The statement said the new set of cash-related policies is designed to reduce the cost of cash management, strengthen security, and curb money laundering risks associated with the economy’s heavy reliance on physical currency.

“These policies, issued over the years in response to evolving circumstances in cash management, sought to reduce cash usage and encourage accelerated adoption of other payment options, particularly electronic payment channels.

“With the effluxion of time, the need has arisen to streamline the provisions of these policies to reflect present-day realities,”

“Effective January 1, 2026, individuals will be allowed to withdraw up to N500,000 weekly across all channels, while corporate entities will be limited to N5 million”, it said.

According to the statement, withdrawals above these thresholds would attract excess withdrawal fees of three percent for individuals and five percent for corporates, with the charges shared between the CBN and the financial institutions.

Daily withdrawals from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) would be capped at N100,000 per customer, subject to a maximum of N500,000 weekly stating that these transactions would count toward the cumulative weekly withdrawal limit.

The special authorisation previously permitting individuals to withdraw N5 million and corporates N10 million once monthly has been discontinued.

The CBN also confirmed that all currency denominations may now be loaded in ATMs, while the over-the-counter encashment limit for third-party cheques remains at N100,000. Such withdrawals will also form part of the weekly withdrawal limit.

Deposit Money Banks are required to submit monthly reports on cash withdrawals above the specified limits, as well as on cash deposits, to the relevant supervisory departments.

They must also create separate accounts to warehouse processing charges collected on excess withdrawals.

Exemptions and superseding provisions
Revenue-generating accounts of federal, state, and local governments, along with accounts of microfinance banks and primary mortgage banks with commercial and non-interest banks, are exempted from the new withdrawal limits and excess withdrawal fees.

However, exemptions previously granted to embassies, diplomatic missions, and aid-donor agencies have been withdrawn.

The CBN clarified that the circular is without prejudice to the provisions of certain earlier directives but supersedes others, as detailed in its appendices.

Business

Shippers Council Vows Commitment To Security At Nigerian Ports

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC)has restated its commitment towards ensuring security at Nigerian seaports.

Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Dr Pius Akuta, said this in Port Harcourt, while declaring open a one day workshop organized by the Nigerian Shippers Council in collaboration with the Nigerian police( Marin Division).

Theme for the workshop was ‘Facilitating Port Efficiency; The strategic Role of Maritime police “

Akuta who was represented by the Director, Regulatory Services, Nigerian Shippers Council, Mrs Margeret Ogbonnah, said the workshop was to seek areas of collaboration with security agencies at the Ports with a view to facilitating trade

Akuta said the theme of the workshop reflects the desire of the council and the Nigerian police to build capacity of police officers for better understanding and administration of their statutory roles in the Maritime environment.

He said Nigerian seaports has constantly been reputed as one of the Port with the longest cargo dwell in the world, adding,”This is so, because while it takes only six hours to clear a containerized cargo in Singapore Port, seven days in Lome Port, it takes an average of 21 days or more in Nigerian Ports” stressing that this situation which has affected the global perception index on Ease of Doing Business in Nigerian seaports must be addressed.

Akuta said NSC which is the economic regulator of the Ports has the responsibility of ensuring that efficiency is established in the Ports inorder to attract patronages.

“Pursuant to its regulatory mandate, the NSC has been collaborating with several agencies to ensure the facilitation of trade and ease of movement of cargo outside the Ports to avoid congestion”he said.

Also speaking the commissioner of police, Eastern Port Command, Port Harcourt, CP Tijani Fakai, said Maritime police has played some roles in facilitating Ports efficiency.

He listed some of the roles to include ensuring security and crime prevention at the Ports, checking of illegal fishing activities at the Ports, checking of human trafficking and drug smuggling and prevention of fire incident at the Ports.

Represented by ACP, Rufina Ukadike, the CP said police at the Ports have also helped in the decongestion and prevention of unauthorized Anchorage.

He commended the Nigerian Shippers Council for the workshop and assured of continuous collaboration.

Speaking on the dynamics of cargo handling, Deputy Controller of customs, Muhydeen Ayinla Ayoola, said the launching of electronic tracking system and dissolution of controller General Taskforce has helped to ensure efficiency at the Ports.

Ayoola who represented the custom Area Controller Port Harcourt 1 Area command, however raised concerned over rising national security threat , which according to him has affected efficiency at the Ports.

John Bibor