Economy

FG Grants Dangote, Honeywell, Others Tax Reliefs and Concessions Worth N16tn – Report

Published

1 year ago

September 19, 2022

Eric

The Federal Government has foregone N16.76tn in revenue to tax reliefs and concessions given to large companies between 2019 and 2021, according to findings by The PUNCH.

As of the end of 2021, 46 companies had benefitted from various tax incentives and duty waiver schemes while the requests of 186 companies were still pending.

These were contained in the tax expenditure statement (TES) reports in the Medium-Term Expenditure and Fiscal Strategy documents posted on the website of the Budget Office of the Federation.

The TES deals with revenue forgone on Company Income Tax, Value Added Tax, Petroleum Production Tax, and Customs Duty.

In the TES report for 2019, it was stated that the Federal Government had forgone revenue of N4.2tn from two main sources, CIT and VAT.

For CIT, the estimated amount of revenue forgone was N1.1tn while N3.1tn was for VAT.

The TES report read, “The most significant conclusion is the large size of Nigeria’s revenue forgone from just two of the main taxes, i.e., CIT and VAT. Nigeria’s non-oil revenue potential is at least twice its current collections.

“The preliminary estimate of revenue forgone from CIT incentives and concessions in 2019 is N1.1tn; for contrast, 2019 CIT collections was N1.6tn. The preliminary estimate of revenue forgone from VAT policy choices and compliance gaps is estimated to be NGN 3.1tn and could possibly be more. It is worth reiterating that revenue forgone from Customs Duty, Excises, Petroleum Production Tax, Personal Income Tax and concessions under the Oil and Gas Zones legislation is still to be computed.”

According to the TES report, the figure for revenue foregone would likely exceed N4.2tn if there were sufficient data, especially from Customs Duty, Excises, PPT, Personal Income Tax and concessions under the Oil and Gas Zones legislation.

By 2020, the figure rose to N5.8tn, with majority of it coming from revenue forgone under VAT. A breakdown showed that N4.3tn was forgone under VAT; N457bn under CIT; N307bn under PPT, and N780bn under customs duty.

It was also noted that five countries accounted for about 86 per cent of total customs relief, with China accounting for nearly two-thirds of total relief granted. Netherlands, Togo, Benin and India were the other top sources of supplies benefitting from the reliefs.

The total figure continued to rise in 2021, hitting N6.79tn, with revenue foregone on VAT accounting for most of it. A breakdown showed that N3.87tn was forgone under VAT, N548.40bn under CIT; N337.70bn under PPT; N1.84tn under customs duty; and N111.15bn under imports VAT.

For the three-year period, therefore, the Federal Government had to forgo a total of N16.79tn in tax reliefs, Customs duty waivers and concessions, according to an analysis by The PUNCH.

Under this figure, tax exemptions covered imported goods covered by diplomatic privileges, military hardware, fuels and lubricants, hospital and surgical equipment, aircraft (their parts and ancillary equipment), plant and machinery imported for use by companies in export processing zones, health and medical supplies to abate the spread of COVID.

Other exemptions included: reliefs on the presidential initiative on COVID-19 supplies, Import Duty and VAT on commercial airlines.

It was also noted that five countries accounted for about 92 per cent of total Customs relief with China accounting for nearly half of the total relief granted. Singapore, Netherlands, Togo, Benin Republic and India were the other top sources of supplies benefitting from the reliefs.

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of the tax reliefs and concessions included Dangote, Lafarge, Honeywell and 43 other major beneficiaries.

As of the end of 2021, 46 companies had benefitted from the tax incentive scheme while the requests of 186 companies were still pending.

They were beneficiaries of the pioneer status tax relief under the Industrial Development Income Tax Act with tax reliefs for a three-year period.

This was contained in the Q4 2021 PSI report released by the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission.

The pioneer status is an incentive offered by the Federal Government, which exempts companies from paying income tax for a certain period. This tax exemption can be full or partial.

The incentive is generally regarded as an industrial measure aimed at stimulating investments in the economy.

The products or companies eligible for this pioneer status are those that do not already exist in the country.

These companies included: Dangote Sinotrucks West Africa Limited, Lafarge Africa Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Jigawa Rice Limited, and Stallion Motors Limited.

Others included: African Foundries Limited, Royal Pacific Group Limited, Kunoch Hotels Limited, Princess Medi Clinics Nigeria Limited, Medlog Logistics Limited, and Masters Liquefied Gas Limited.

The Punch

Economy

CBN Orders Indefinite Validity of Old Naira Notes

Published

2 weeks ago

November 15, 2023

Eric

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced its intention to extend the validity of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 noted indefinitely.

This is as the apex bank declared its desire to extend the validity of old naira notes beyond any expiry date. According to the bank, it is working with the relevant authorities to vacate the subsisting court ruling on the same subject.

The bank disclosed this in a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, on Tuesday.

The statement titled, ‘CBN To Allow Old Design Naira Banknotes as Legal Tender, Ad Infinitum,’ said the decision is line with international best practices and to forestall a repeat of earlier experiences.

The statement read, “Without prejudice, the Central Bank of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public of its desire to extend the legal tender status deadline of the old design of N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations; ad infinitum.

“This is in line with international best practices and to forestall a repeat of earlier experiences. Thus, all banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, in accordance with Section 20(5) of the CBN Act 2007, will continue to remain legal tender, ad infinitum. even beyond the initial December 31, 2023, deadline.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria is working with the relevant authorities to vacate the subsisting court ruling on the same subject. Accordingly, all CBN branches across the country will continue to issue and accept all denominations of Nigerian banknotes, old and redesigned, to and from deposit money banks.

“The general public is enjoined to continue to accept all Naira banknotes (old or redesigned) for day-to-day transactions and handle these banknotes with utmost care, to safeguard and protect the lifecycle of the banknotes. Also, the general public is encouraged to embrace alternative modes of payment, e-channels, for day-to-day transactions.”

This is the third statement the CBN has issued concerning naira notes in recent times. Earlier this month, it clarified that there was no scarcity of naira in the country. Later, it announced that every banknote remains legal tender and should not be rejected by anyone.

The apex bank has had to clear the air on the naira following a March ruling by the Supreme Court that asked the CBN to allow old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes to continue as legal tender till December 31, 2023, after the bank announced a new naira design policy and expiration dates for the denominations.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, in October 2022 disclosed a plan to redesign some naira denominations (N200, N500, and N1000 notes) and reduce currency circulation.

According to Emefiele, the currency move was to control currency in circulation as well as curb counterfeit currency and ransom payments to kidnappers and terrorists. He stated that the existing old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes would retain their legal tender status until January 31, 2023.

The apex would later extend its deadline until February 10, 2023, but the Zamfara, Kogi, and Kaduna state governments would on February 3 file a suit against the Attorney-General of the Federation on the policy.

Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kano, Sokoto, Ogun, and Cross River would later join the suit as co-plaintiffs. In a ruling in March 2023, the Supreme Court invalidated the new naira design policy because it was not done with due consultation and in line with constitutional provisions.

With this new CBN directive, Nigerians can now expect to spend old N200, N500, and N1000 beyond December 2023.

The National President, Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, Victor Olojo, recently told The PUNCH, “The new decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to retain both the old and new notes is a good and positive development, particularly coming out to clear the speculations before December that was initially set, at least to forestall the scarcity issue that happened earlier in the year.”

The Punch

Economy

Crude Oil: We’ve Secured License to Refine 300,000bpd – Dangote

Published

2 weeks ago

November 13, 2023

Eric

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has said his refinery has secured a licence to refine more than 300,000 barrels of Nigerian crude per day and will begin to process gasoline soon.

“We don’t want to start our refinery with foreign goods, we want to start with the Nigerian crude,” Dangote said in an interview in Riyadh on the sidelines of the Saudi-Nigeria business roundtable, according to Bloomberg.

“We’re more than ready and you will see our gasoline products soon,” he added.

The refinery was supposed to start production in August but missed that target in addition to several other over the years. But Dangote insists that his refinery will start producing “very very soon.”

The refinery’s first priority is to supply gasoline to Nigeria before exporting to elsewhere, including the West African region, he said.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery was importing crude oil and expected its first cargo in about two weeks, according to the Executive Director, Dangote Group, Devakumar Edwin.

The report stated that though the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited trades crude oil on behalf of Nigeria, in an interview with S&P Global Commodity Insights at the time, Edwin revealed that the NNPCL had committed its crude to other entities.

The Punch

Economy

Sad Tale of the Naira, Now Sells at N1, 210 to Dollar

Published

1 month ago

October 24, 2023

Eric

The national currency, Naira, has reached a new low in its weeks-long downward spiral, plummeting to a staggering N1210 against the U.S. dollar in the parallel market.

The alarming depreciation, as published by Aboki FX, casts a shadow of uncertainty over the nation’s economic stability.

The persistent decline of the Naira is a source of concern and a spotlight on the challenges associated with President Bola Tinubu’s fiscal policies.

Despite the far-reaching consequences, including inflation and diminished economic purchasing power, Tinubu has undertaken what his cabinet refers to as strategic moves, such as the petrol subsidy removal, which was met with resistance and scepticism but reflects an attempt to reduce the government’s financial burden and promote a more market-driven economy as well as the decision to adopt a clean float foreign exchange management.

The presidency says the measures will allow the naira to establish its value through the open market forces.

On September 26, the Naira witnessed an unprecedented historical low, dipping to N1000 against the U.S dollar. Since then, the currency has lost 17 per cent of its value.

The devaluation has made foreign exchange transactions inaccessible, especially in the parallel market, where a substantial percentage of the country’s financial transactions occur.

The repercussions of the currency depreciation are far-reaching. It affects businesses and citizens grappling with rising prices and economic uncertainty.

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