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We will address your concerns over 10 percent tax – Senate President assures soft drink manufacturers

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3 years ago

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Senate President Ahmed Lawan
Senate President Ahmad Lawan
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The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has assured the manufacturers of non-alcoholic beverages in Nigeria that the National Assembly will address their concerns with respect to the implementation of the Finance Act 2022.

The Finance Act 2022, among other things, imposes 10 percent tax on non-alcoholic beverages.

Top officials of major players in the industry, drawn from Seven-Up Bottling Company Limited, La Casera Company, Rite Foods Limited and Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, complained to the leadership of the Senate on Wednesday that the tax burden could lead to the collapse of the sector.

Receiving the visitors in his office, the Senate President assured them that the parliament would look into their complaints particularly with respect to the excise duty.

Lawan said: “I have listened to your submissions. I want to assure you that everything that we do as a government, an administration, we do so to promote, to support, to protect and foster businesses in our country.

“You are the owners of the businesses. You invested in the soft drink industry in Nigeria. But Nigerians are the beneficiaries because in addition to drinking the soft drink, our citizens also get jobs and for those reasons, it is always at the forefront of our considerations and focus that we must enhance the business environment in Nigeria and create ease of doing business in Nigeria.

“Besides, we are also conscious that the world is a global village. There are so many other areas to which somebody could easily move out. We don’t want to lose businesses in Nigeria to our competitors. So we have to have a competitive environment here.

“I have taken note of how long you have been in Nigeria. The fact that you have stayed for 70 years(NBC) tells a story that the Nigerian environment has provided you the opportunity to invest and also reap from your investment because it is a symbiotic relationship. While you are making profits from your business, we are also getting jobs and other benefits.

“I want to assure you that when the Finance Act 2022 was passed into law, we did so unconsciously, trying to address the issues, not to trying to overburden your businesses.

“Actually, the Finance Act is one way of responding to global situations that every country today faces and it is not peculiar to Nigeria. But, of course, when you pass law, you find how efficacious the law is when you started to implement it.

“Maybe we are talking about the 10 percent tax. I have noted what you have said about it. You think It is a heavy burden that can make your businesses difficult to survive. And that is not the kind of consequence that we anticipated or hoped and as a parliament that passed the law, we will look at the law and see how everybody will be protected.

“On one hand, Nigeria needs some revenue. Just like many other countries, even bigger economies are challenged today. But on the other hand, even though we need revenues, we have to be conscious of the fact that we don’t kill or overburden or stress the goose that lays the golden egg.

“We will like the goose to continue to lay the golden eggs so that at the end of the day, it is better to have something coming into the coffers of government than to have capital flight and lose everything.

“But like I have said, it is not something that I can say, well, the 10 percent is off. We will look at it and see how we can arrive at something and accommodation that everybody will be a winner at the end of the day.

“We will work and try to address the issue that you have raised and that we will try to do as quickly as possible so that we have a situation where at the end of the day, you will be happy and Nigerians will also be happy.

“What we are experiencing today is what most countries are experiencing. Even bigger economies are suffering from so many challenges – from COVID 19, now to the infamous Russia/Ukraine war and so on and so forth. But our understanding is that this is not going to be a permanent situation. That these challenges will soon go away. We will try to take very progressive measures to ensure that we address your concerns.”

Earlier, the spokesman for the delegation, Ambassador Segun Apata, Chairman of the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, appealed to the Senate President for urgent intervention to save the sector from total collapse.

“We have come to you, that the sector is about to collapse. We don’t be want to go into the public to announce this is happening to us without placing it before you as leaders of this country.

“The Finance Act imposes an excise tax on all non-alcoholic beverages. In our sector, the taxes we pay – company tax, VAT, education tax – are in excess of over N300 billion.

“Our appeal is to ask the National Assembly under your leadership to completely remove the excise tax and return to status quo ante before first of June this year,” Ambassador Apata said.

 

 

 

 

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Senate Confirms Taiwo Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance

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4 days ago

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March 11, 2026

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Taiwo Oyedele
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The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Taiwo Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance following his screening before the upper legislative chamber.

Oyedele, a tax expert and former chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, was approved after lawmakers expressed confidence in his competence and professional experience. He is expected to replace Doris Uzoka-Anite in the role.

During the screening, Oyedele said his nomination offered him an opportunity to serve the country, noting that he had built his career in the private sector before advising the federal government on fiscal reforms.

He highlighted his experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he served as Africa tax and policy leader with responsibility for more than 20 countries, adding that his work on international tax policy and economic reforms across more than 180 countries had prepared him to contribute to Nigeria’s economic transformation.

Oyedele also referenced his work as chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, noting that the committee had developed several reform initiatives, including four major tax reform laws recently passed by the National Assembly to modernise Nigeria’s fiscal framework and improve revenue generation.

He further emphasised the need for realistic budgeting, improved cash management and fiscal discipline, noting that delays in payments to contractors increase project costs and undermine trust in government, while reforms in tariff structures could encourage local manufacturing, create jobs and reduce reliance on imports.

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Tinubu Approves Posting of 65 Ambassadors, Sends Fani Kayode to Germany

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1 week ago

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March 6, 2026

By

President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to various countries and international missions, comprising 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career envoys.

The ambassadors were earlier confirmed by the Nigerian Senate in December.

According to a statement issued by the State House, the postings cover diplomatic missions across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the United Nations.

Among the non-career ambassadors, former presidential aide Reno Omokri was posted to Mexico City, Mexico, while former Minister of Health Isaac Folorunso Adewole will serve as Nigeria’s envoy to Canada.

Former Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau was posted to China, while businessman and former senator Jimoh Ibrahim was designated as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Also among the nominees are former Lagos State deputy governor Olufemi Pedro, who will head Nigeria’s mission in Australia, and former intelligence chief Ayodele Oke, who has been posted to France.

Other non-career envoys include Femi Fani-Kayode to Germany, Fatima Florence Ajimobi to Austria, and Nora Ladi Daduut to South Korea.

In the career category, several seasoned diplomats were assigned to key missions, including Amb. Mohammed Mahmud Lele to Algeria, Amb. Abdussalam Habu Zayyad to Senegal, Amb. Haidara Mohammed Idris to the Netherlands, and Amb. Ibrahim Danlami to Kenya.

The statement noted that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Nigeria) has already received agrément from the United Kingdom for Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu, who will serve as High Commissioner.

France has also granted agrément for Ambassador Ayodele Oke as Nigeria’s envoy to Paris.

According to the presidency, the ministry has communicated the nominations of the other 62 envoys to their respective host countries and requested agrément in line with diplomatic protocol.

President Tinubu also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately commence the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners ahead of their deployment.

 

POSTINGS OF NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS

S/N NAME                        MISSION APPROVED

1.   SENATOR GRACE BENT: LOME-TOGO

2.   SEN. ITA ENANG: SOUTH AFRICA

3.   IKPEAZU VICTOR: SPAIN

4.   NKECHI LINDA UFOCHUKWU: TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL

5.   MAHMUD YAKUBU: QATAR

6.   PAUL OGA ADIKWU: THE VATICAN CITY HOLY SEE

7.   VICE ADMIRAL IBOK-ETE EKWE IBAS: THE PHILIPPINES

8.   MR. RENO OMOKRI: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

9.   HON. (ENGR.) ABASI BRAIMAH (FMHR): BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

10.   MRS. ERELU ANGELA ADEBAYO: PORTUGAL

11.   BARR. OLUMILUA OLUWAYIMIKA AYOTUNWA: TOKYO, JAPAN

12.   RT. HON. UGWUANYI IFEANYI LAWRENCE: ATHENS, GREECE

13.   BARR. CHIOMA PRISCILLA OHAKIM: WARSAW, POLAND

14.   AMINU DALHATU: UNITED KINGDOM, UK

15.   LT. GEN  ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU: BEIJING, CHINA

16.   HON. TASIU MUSA MAIGARI: GAMBIA

17.   OLUFEMI PEDRO: AUSTRALIA

18.   BARR. MUHAMMED UBANDOMA ALIYU: ARGENTINA

19.   LATEEF KAYODE ARE: USA

20.   AMB. JOSEPH SOLA IJI: RUSSIA

21.   SEN. JIMOH IBRAHIM: UN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE

22.   FEMI FANI KAYODE: GERMANY

23.   PROF. ISAAK FOLORUNSO ADEWOLE: OTTAWA, CANADA

24.   AJIMOBI FATIMA FLORENCE (F): AUSTRIA

25.   MRS. LOLA AKANDE (F): SWEDEN

26.   AYODELE OKE:  FRANCE

27.   YAKUBU N. GAMBO: SAUDI ARABIA

28.   SENATOR PROF. NORA LADI DADUUT: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

29.   BARR. ONUEZE CHUKWUJIKA JOE OKOCHA SAN: DUBLIN

30.   DR. KULU HARUNA ABUBAKAR: TUNIS, TUNISIA

31.   RT. HON. JERRY SAMUEL MANWE: PORT OF SPAIN, T&T

POSTINGS OF CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS LIST

S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED

1. AMB. NWABIOLA EZENWA CHUKWUMEKA: COTE D’IV/OIRE

2. BESTO MAIMUNA IBRAHIM: NIAMEY-NIGER

3. MONICA OKWUCHUKWU ENEBECHI: SAO TOME, STP

4. AMB. MOHAMMED MAHMUD LELE: ALGIERS-ALGERIA

5. ENDONI SYNDOPH PAEBI: OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO

6. AHMED MOHAMMED MONGUNO: CAIRO EGYPT

7. AMB.JANE ADAMS (NEE OKON) MICHAEL (F): KINGSTON-JAMAICA

8. AMB. CLARK-OMERU ALEXANDRA (F): LUSAKA-ZAMBIA

9. CHIMA GEOGGREY LIOMA DAVID: BAMAKO-MALI

10. AMB. ODUMAH YVONNE EHINOSEN: MALABO –E/GUINEA

11. AMB WASA SEGUN IGE: BEIRUT, LEBANON

12. RUBEN ABIMBOLA SAMUEL (F): ROME, ITALY

13. AMB.ONAGA OGECHUKWU KINGSLEY: MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE

14. AMB.MAGAJI UMAR: KINSASHA, DR CONGO

15. AMB.MUHAMMAD SAIDU DAHIRU: NEW DELHI-INDIA

16. AMB. ABDUSSALAM HABU ZAYYAD: DAKAR-SENEGAL

17. AMB SHEHU ILU BARDE: ACCRA GHANA

18. AMB.AMINU NASIR: ETHIOPIA

19. ABUBAKAR MUSA MUSA: N’DJAMENA, CHAD

20. AMB. HAIDARA MOHAMMED IDRIS: THE HAGUE-NETHERLANDS

21. AMB.BAKO ADAMU UMAR: RABAT-MOROCCO

22. AMB. SULU GAMBARI OLATUNJI AHMED: MALAYSIA

23. AMB.ROMATA MOHAMMED OMOBOLANLE (F): TANZANIA

24. AMB. SHAGA JOHN SHAMAH: BOTSWANA

25. SALAU, HAMZA MOHAMMED: TEHRAN, IRAN

26. AMB.IBRAHIM DANLAMI: KENYA

27. IBRAHIM ADEOLA MOPELOLA (F): COTONOU-BENIN

28. AMB.AYENI ADEBAYO EMMANUEL: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

29. AMB.AKANDE WAHAB ADEKOLA: BERNE-SWITZERLAND

30. AMB. AREWA (NEE ADEDOKUN) ESTHER (F): WINDHOEK-NAMIBIA

31. AMB.GERGADI JOSEPH JOHN: LIBREVILLE-GABON

32. AMB. LUTHER OGBOMODE AYO-KALATA (F): SIERRA LEONE

33. DANLADI YAKUBU NYAKU : KHARTOUM-SUDAN

34. BELLO DOGON-DAJI HALIRU: BANGKOK, THAILAND

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Tinubu Orders Suspension of Cashless Payment System at Nigerian Airports

Published

2 weeks ago

on

March 4, 2026

By

President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate suspension of the cashless payment system recently introduced at airports across the country.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Wednesday, March 4, while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to Keyamo, the President ordered that the system be reviewed to ensure it operates efficiently without causing inconvenience to travellers.

“He directed that we go back to the drawing board, suspend the present system, and perfect a system that will work perfectly without putting unnecessary pressure on citizens,” the minister said.

Keyamo added that the review may involve collaboration with the private sector to develop a more seamless payment framework. In the interim, a hybrid system will be adopted, allowing travellers with payment cards to continue using them, while cash payments will also be accepted.

The cashless payment system was introduced this week by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria at the Lagos and Abuja airports. However, its rollout led to long queues and delays, prompting the President’s intervention.

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