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In a spectacle befitting a nation where irony is never in short supply, the Presidential Villa in Abuja, home to the country’s highest office, has been thrown into darkness following the theft of electricity cables supplying power to the area.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed on Friday that vandals had made off with 40 meters of 1x500mm² XLPE conductors from a 132kV underground transmission line near Millennium Park, just a stone’s throw from the very heart of Nigeria’s power structure. The affected line supplies electricity to the 132kV Central Area transmission substation, which distributes power to central parts of Abuja, including the Presidential Villa.

TCN’s General Manager, Ndidi Mba, noted that the brazen act disrupted power in Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Lifecamp, Asokoro, Utako, Mabushi, and portions of the Villa itself. The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, also chimed in with a statement decrying the rising tide of cable thefts but offered little consolation to those left fumbling for their flashlights.

The Presidential Villa, often hailed as the seat of power, now finds itself quite literally powerless—an ironic twist in a country where symbolism often outweighs substance. One would think that securing the nation’s corridors of influence might extend to safeguarding the cables keeping the lights on. But alas, even Aso Rock is not immune to the scourge of infrastructure vandalism.

Engineers have reportedly been dispatched to repair the damage, though it remains to be seen whether the response will be as swift as the vandals’ handiwork.

Meanwhile, Abuja residents, including those within earshot of presidential decision-making, are left pondering whether the real blackout is in the cables or the leadership itself.

The price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly called petrol, has risen sharply across Nigeria following an upward adjustment in the gantry price by the Dangote Refinery and subsequent increases by private depot operators.

In an email to customers, Dangote Refinery announced that effective 5:30 p.m. Friday, the gantry price of petrol would rise from ₦899.50 to ₦955 per litre for purchases of 2–4.99 million litres, and from ₦895 to ₦950 per litre for quantities of 5 million litres and above. The refinery noted that all stock balances yet to be lifted as of the effective time would be repriced at the new rates.

The increase, which represents a 6.17% hike from the discounted rates introduced in December 2024, is attributed to rising crude oil prices. Brent crude recently surged to $80 per barrel, raising production costs for refined products.

The price adjustment has had immediate ripple effects on the downstream petroleum sector. Private depots, even with old stock, raised their prices significantly. For instance:

• Sahara Depot increased its price to ₦970/litre from ₦950.

• Pinnacle Depot raised its price to ₦970 from ₦921.

• NIPCO Depot increased its cost to ₦980 from ₦950.

• Rainoil Depot moved up to ₦970 from ₦950.

• Depots in Calabar, such as Alkanes, now charge ₦1,000/litre, while Zone 4 and Mainland depots raised prices to ₦1,005/litre.

As a result, pump prices at retail outlets have surged, with petrol now selling between ₦1,050 and ₦1,150 per litre, depending on the location.

Industry experts warn that prices could rise further if crude oil prices continue to climb and the exchange rate does not improve. Festus Osifo, National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), noted that crude price trends would heavily influence the cost of petrol in the coming weeks.

This development comes amidst ongoing economic challenges, with rising fuel prices expected to further strain households and businesses across the country.

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has distributed N1.42 trillion in revenue to Nigeria's three levels of government for December 2024. This allocation, drawn from a gross total of N2.31 trillion, represents a N300 billion increase from November's distribution of N1.72 trillion.

The breakdown of the distribution, announced at FAAC's December meeting chaired by Finance Minister Wale Edun, is as follows:

- Federal Government: N451 billion

- State Governments: N498 billion

- Local Governments: N361 billion

- Oil-Producing States (13% derivation): N113.47 billion

Additional allocations included N84.7 billion for collection costs and N801 billion for transfers, interventions, and refunds.

Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue increased by N20.5 billion to N649.5 billion in December, compared to November's N628.9 billion. From the VAT revenue:

- Federal Government received N90.73 billion

- States received N302.43 billion

- Local Governments received N211.70 billion

However, gross statutory revenue declined significantly by 32.9%, falling to N1.22 trillion from November's N1.82 trillion. The committee reported notable increases in VAT and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) collections, while seeing substantial decreases in oil and gas royalties, customs duties, excise duties, and both petroleum and company income taxes.

Exchange difference revenues of N402.7 billion were also distributed, with the Federal Government receiving N188 billion, states N95.4 billion, and local governments N73.5 billion. An additional N45.6 billion was allocated for derivation funds.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

In a dramatic twist, Oba Otudeko, former chairman of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN), has reportedly left Nigeria amid looming charges of alleged fraud filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Sources disclosed to TheCable that the prominent businessman departed the country on Thursday evening, crossing the Nigeria-Benin border by land with assistance from a family member. Efforts to contact Otudeko were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off, although messages sent via WhatsApp were delivered without a response. Similarly, his son, Obafemi Otudeko, did not respond to inquiries about his father’s destination.

Earlier that day, the EFCC filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko and three others at the Federal High Court in Lagos, accusing them of obtaining loans totaling ₦30 billion under false pretenses between 2013 and 2014. Other defendants named include Stephen Olabisi Onasanya, former group managing director of FBN; Soji Akintayo, a former board member of Honeywell Flour Mills; and Anchorage Limited, a company linked to Otudeko.

The EFCC alleges that the loans—ranging from ₦1.5 billion to ₦12.3 billion—were falsely represented as being secured by certain firms. The arraignment of the defendants is scheduled for Monday.

OTUDEKO RESPONDS: “I’LL DEFEND MY REPUTATION”

In a statement issued by Olasumbo Abolaji, general counsel for Honeywell Group, Otudeko denied the allegations and stated he had yet to receive an official summons. He emphasized his lack of executive involvement in FBN Holdings and its banking subsidiary, asserting that he bears no operational responsibility.

“Otudeko categorically refutes the claims concerning his role in FBN Holdings and will aggressively defend his reputation,” the statement read. It described him as a builder of successful companies and a mentor focused on shaping Nigeria’s next generation of business leaders.

At 81, Otudeko claims his priorities lie in mentoring and philanthropy, expressing no interest in resuming any executive or non-executive positions beyond his current roles. He dismissed any suggestions of returning to FBN Holdings’ board, citing his confidence in the institution’s strong foundation.

While Otudeko has pledged to cooperate with relevant authorities, critics are questioning the timing of his sudden departure, which comes just days before his scheduled arraignment.

Israeli cabinet approves Gaza ceasefire accord, due to take effect Sunday

Israel's cabinet approved a deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas for a ceasefire and release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Saturday, a day ahead of the agreement's scheduled start.

In the early hours of Saturday after meeting for more than six hours, the government ratified the agreement that could pave the way for an end to the 15-month-old war in the Palestinian enclave, which Hamas controls.

"The Government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The framework for the hostages' release will come into effect on Sunday," Netanyahu's office said in a brief statement.

In Gaza itself, Israeli warplanes have kept up heavy attacks since the ceasefire deal was agreed. Medics in Gaza said an Israeli airstrike early on Saturday killed five people in a tent in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in the enclave's south.

This brought to 119 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli bombardment since the accord was announced on Wednesday.

After the Israeli cabinet approval, lead U.S. negotiator Brett McGurk said the plan was moving forward on track. The White House expects the ceasefire to start on Sunday morning, with three female hostages to be released to Israel on Sunday afternoon through the Red Cross.

"We have locked down every single detail in this agreement. We are quite confident... it is ready to be implemented on Sunday," McGurk said on CNN from the White House.

Under the deal, the three-stage ceasefire starts with an initial six-week phase when hostages held by Hamas will be exchanged for prisoners detained by Israel.

Thirty-three of the 98 remaining Israeli hostages, including women, children, and men over 50, were due to be freed in this phase. Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 in Israeli jails by the end of the first phase.

The names of 95 Palestinian prisoners to be turned over on Sunday were announced by the Israeli Justice Ministry on Friday.

After Sunday's hostage release, McGurk said the accord called for four more female hostages to be released after seven days followed by the release of three further hostages every seven days thereafter.

HARDLINERS OPPOSE CEASEFIRE

With the accord bitterly opposed by some Israeli cabinet hardliners, media reports said 24 ministers in Netanyahu's coalition government voted in favour of the deal while eight opposed it.

The opponents said the ceasefire agreement represented a capitulation to Hamas. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to resign if it was approved and urged other ministers to vote against it. However, he said he would not bring down the government.

His fellow hardliner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also threatened to quit the government if it does not go back to war to defeat Hamas after the first six-week phase of the ceasefire.

After a last-minute delay on Thursday that Israel blamed on Hamas, the Israeli security cabinet voted on Friday in favour of the ceasefire accord, the first of two approvals required.

Israel began its assault on Gaza after Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 during which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

The war between Israeli forces and Hamas has razed much of heavily urbanised Gaza, killed more than 46,000 people and displaced most of the enclave's pre-war population of 2.3 million several times over, according to local authorities.

If successful, the ceasefire could also ease hostilities in the Middle East, where the Gaza war spread to include Iran and its proxies - Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis and armed groups in Iraq as well as the occupied West Bank.

Gaza civilians have faced a humanitarian crisis due to hunger, cold and sickness. The ceasefire agreement calls for a surge in assistance, and international organisations have aid trucks lined up on Gaza's borders to bring in food, fuel, medicine and other vital supplies.

Palestinian relief agency UNRWA said on Friday that it has 4,000 truckloads of aid, half of which are food, ready to enter the coastal strip.

Palestinians waiting for food in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday said they hoped a truce will mean an end to hours of queuing to fill one plate.

"I hope it will happen so we'll be able to cook in our homes and make whatever food we want, without having to go to soup kitchens and exhaust ourselves for three or four hours trying to get (food) - sometimes not even making it home," displaced Palestinian Reeham Sheikh al-Eid said.

 

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine's air force says it downed 33 Russian drones launched overnight

Ukrainian air defences downed 33 of 50 drones launched by Russia overnight, the air force said on Friday.

It said 9 drones were "lost", in reference to Ukraine's use of electronic warfare to redirect Russian drones, while one left Ukraine in the direction of Romania.

"Hostile attack drones hit enterprises in Odesa region, and buildings of institutions, private businesses and households in Kharkiv, Cherkasy and Kyiv regions were damaged as a result of the fall of downed enemy drones," the military said on the Telegram messaging app.

Port infrastructure in the Danube region came under attack, they added.

A Kyiv regional official said one child was wounded as a result of falling debris from downed targets during an attack.

 

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian troops liberate eight communities in Kharkov area, Donbass region over week

Russian troops liberated eight communities in the Kharkov area and the Donbass region over the week in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"Battlegroup West units liberated the settlements of Kalinovo in the Kharkov Region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic in active operations… Battlegroup South units liberated the settlement of Yantarnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of decisive operations… Battlegroup Center units kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and liberated the settlements of Shevchenko, Peschanoye, Ukrainka and Slavyanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic… Battlegroup East units liberated the settlement of Nesckuchnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of active operations," the ministry said in a statement.

 

Reuters/Tass

The clamour for the separation of the ‘Office of the Attorney General of the Federation’ from that of the ‘Minister of Justice’ which is largely attributable, rightly or wrongly, to the perceived politicisation of the office of the AGF has been raging for quite some time. It, however, gained momentum based on the experiences of Nigerians in the 4th Republic. They question the fidelity of such an appointee of the president to the Constitution under a partisan system. Can he/she consciously discern that his/her functions of the AGF are not subject to the dictates of the President, unlike his/her functions of the Minister of Justice?

While the AGF is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and is charged with protecting the public interest by ensuring the proper implementation of the laws, the Minister of Justice deals with the implementation of the policies of the government in the justice sector and is subject to the direction of the President in whom the Constitution vests all the executive powers of the federation. Nigerians who hold the view that the offices should be separated believe that one must be a saint to be able to navigate the delicate balance or the rather thin line that separates the appointee when acting as the Attorney General of the Federation from when he is discharging the duties of the Minister of Justice. Since we are all subject to human frailty, it would amount to burying one’s head in the sand to fail to acknowledge that such an appointee may sometimes consciously or unconsciously become susceptible to the political influence of the appointor (the President) or the political party. Where this happens, the appointee may lose the requisite objectivity required to discharge the functions of his/her office equitably, fairly and in accordance with the dictates of the law and conscience.

Given Nigeria’s experience with the holders of the office under a partisan political system, there are palpable fears that an Attorney General who is lacking the requisite integrity, diligence and independence, will unwittingly become a tool in the hands of a powerful president enabling him/her to ride roughshod over the rights of the people. Thus, instead of insisting on his fidelity to the constitution and serving as a check on the excesses of executive power, the appointee may feel obligated to his/her appointer and may be moved to descend into the political arena and have his/her vision beclouded by the murky waters of politics to the detriment of the people.

In view of the foregoing, Nigerians have been vocal in their clamour that the two offices be separated and held by different persons. They want the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to be insulated from politics through an appointment process and remuneration that guarantees its independence from the Minister of Justice. This view has found expression in the ongoing Constitution Review Exercise by the National Assembly which is considering proposals for the amendment of the constitution to separate the office. The practice around the world and some commonwealth jurisdictions supports separating the office. For instance, in the United Kingdon, the Office of the Attorney General is separate from the Minister of Justice. In India, Kenya and South Africa, to name a few jurisdictions, the offices are separate. This means that the concerns of well-meaning Nigerians advocating for such a separation to depoliticise the office are not misplaced.

To achieve the objective of separating the office, views are divided as to whether a constitutional amendment is required. Reacting to these contending positions, my predecessor in office, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, recently opined that an amendment to the constitution was not necessary to achieve such an outcome. In his view, the provisions of section 150 of the constitution merely provide that there shall be an Attorney General of the Federation who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the Federation. He therefore contends that the president is, therefore, free to appoint a separate Minister of Justice in much the same way as he appoints other ministers not expressly mentioned in the Constitution without any consequential amendment of the constitution.

I am, however, of the respectful view that section 150 of the constitution goes beyond providing for the office of ‘Attorney General of the Federation’ and ‘Chief Law Officer.’ It adds a third ‘portfolio’ of a ‘Minister in the Government of the Federation’ to such an appointee thereby making it mandatory for the Attorney General of the Federation to be made a Minister in the Government of the Federation. For the avoidance of doubt. The section is hereby reproduced in ex tenso: “150 (1) There shall be an Attorney General of the Federation who shall be the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and a Minister of the Government of the Federation” (emphasis supplied). I, therefore, humbly opine that there is need to amend section 150 of the Constitution by deleting “and a Minister of the Government of the Federation” to effectively separate the offices.

I am convinced that to achieve the objective of depoliticising the office, the Attorney General of the Federation should not be a Minister. This is because by virtue of section 148 of the Constitution, ministers are delegates who exercise executive powers of the president. They must therefore be subject to the direction and control of the president while exercising such powers. The Attorney General of the Federation should, therefore, head the Department of Justice akin to the offices of the Accountant General of the Federation, Auditor General of the Federation, and Surveyor General of the Federation, etc., and should be independent. The Attorney General of the Federation should be guided by the dictates of his/her conscience and the overriding public interest, and reporting on the activities of the office at least once in a year to the National Assembly.

Apart from the physical separation of the offices, care must be taken to address issues that are likely to impinge on the independence of the office holder. These include: the appointment process, qualification, tenure and remuneration. For instance, in the United States of America, the Attorney General is appointed by the President on the confirmation of the Senate while in the United Kingdom, the Attorney General is nominated by the Prime Minister and appointed by the Monarch (King) on the advice of the Prime Minister. Similarly, in Kenya, the Attorney General is nominated by the President with approval of the National Assembly and appointed by the President and reforms are being proposed to limit the tenure to 10 years. In India, the Attorney General is appointed by the President at the instance of the Union Cabinet. In South Africa, the Attorney General is appointed by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs after consultation with the Solicitor General and can be removed with the approval of both Houses of Parliament.

In addition to the appointing process, some jurisdictions prescribe qualifications, the most significant one being where the Attorney General is required to have the same qualification as the Chief Justice or Justice of the Supreme Court as is the case in Kenya and India respectively. In the United States, a Bar qualification will suffice while in the United Kingdom, qualification is not specified, but holders of the office have traditionally been Barristers who continue to practise with the Crown as their client. Also, the remuneration for the office is carefully considered to insulate the appointee from influences that may derail him or her. What is important is to ensure that the appointee is well compensated for the onerous duties he or she is discharging and to insulate him from financial pressures as has been done in some jurisdictions.

Given the peculiarities of Nigeria, care should be taken to ensure that the appointment process is clearly specified in the Constitution establishing the Office of Attorney General of the Federation and his counterparts at the state level. I submit that the Attorney General of the Federation should be appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the Senate. The appointee should have the same qualification as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and should be appointed for a fixed, non-renewable tenure of six years only. The appointee should not be removed except for misconduct, violation of the provisions of the enabling law, convictions or inability to discharge the functions of the office due to infirmity of the body or mind. The President should only remove the appointee upon an address supported by two-thirds of the Senate. The remuneration of the appointee should be stated in the Instrument of Appointment and should be reasonable enough to compensate the appointee and insulate him from monetary inducement. The remuneration so specified should be subject to yearly adjustments based on inflation to ensure that the salary is not eroded.

It is also necessary to clarify the duties of the Attorney General of the Federation as well as that of the Minister of Justice to avoid jurisdictional overlaps. The Attorney General, who must be a seasoned lawyer, should be appointed under section 150 of the Constitution to head the Department of Justice. He will be assisted by professional staff such as the Solicitor General, Director, Public Prosecutions, Director, Civil Litigation, Director, Legal Drafting, Director, Solicitors Dept, and Director of International Law. He will also superintend all the law officers and be responsible for posting them as pool officers to other ministries to deal with legal matters and proffer legal opinions on his behalf.

The Attorney General shall not be a Minister but shall attend the Federal Executive Council to render legal advice where required, attend Court as amicus curie even in a matter where the Government is not a Party and attend the National Assembly to render legal advice. The Attorney General shall also superintend the exercise of prosecutorial powers by prosecutorial agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NATIP) and the national Drug law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). To be effective, all these Agencies as well as the Nigeria Police should report to the Department of Justice. For instance, In the United States of America, the Attorney General is assisted by Deputy Attorneys General, Associate Attorney General, the Solicitor General and heads of Litigating Divisions such as Criminal, Civil, Antitrust, Civil rights, Tax, National Security etc. The Enforcement Divisions include Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), US Marshals Service (USMS), and Interpol Washington.

On the other hand, the Minister of Justice need not be a lawyer and should be appointed under section 148 of the Constitution. However, care should be taken to appoint a person with knowledge of the justice sector. The Minister of Justice will be responsible for implementing Government policies in the justice sector. This will cover issues such as government policies on the administration of justice, access to justice, law reform, research, legal education, law reporting, etc. The Minister will be assisted by the bureaucracy comprising relevant professionals and technocrats such as the Permanent Secretary and relevant Directors. The Minister of Justice shall superintend over parastatals such as the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Law School, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

Finally, while the above proposals are designed to strengthen the hand of the appointee to do justice to all those who encounter the justice system, there is no guarantee that the separation alone is enough to insulate the office from politics. The occupants of the office must have the requisite moral fibre and strength of character to resist subtle pressures from the powers that be in the discharge of their onerous duties. The search for a suitable attorney general of the federation or his counterparts at the state level should go beyond mere knowledge of the law to x-raying the antecedents of appointees over a fairly long period to determine their suitability.

** Adoke was Nigeria’s attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice from 2010 to 2015.

Contronym - a word that can mean exactly opposite things, e g pharmakon, poison and remedy in pharmacology and botany

Bene, you were amazonian

A revolutionary, a warrior

A female revolutionary and warrior

But you were also pharmakon

The poison that is also the cure

The foundation of Botany

The queen of all sciences

Poison cured, neutralized

Bene, warrior and revolutionary

Amazon and pharmakon

The roots of your life

Of your unique selfhood

Amazon and/or pharmakon?

More Amazon than pharmakon

Or more pharmakon than Amazon?

A needless riddle or conundrum!

Among plants and herbs

There are killers and healers

In botany, queen of all sciences,

Knowledge of poison and remedy

Among feminist revolutionaries

You were unique, Bene

Amazon and pharmakon rare Among women as among men

Not all men are warriors

Not all women are healers

Most women and most men

Tread and justify a middle ground

Your unique selfhood stood out

Until the end, Bene

Or close to the end

When the pharmakon stopped

YOU fatefully confronted

Poison without its remedy

You, Bene Madunagu,

Essence of cure for poison!

You seemed to have forgotten

Who you were or had been

And a great mystery arose:

Did you know yourself, Bene?

Did we, your comrades, know?

Amazon and pharmakon together

In your life, did we know,

Truly know, this basis of your life?

We knew, Bene, we knew

Only we had no name for it

We saw Amazon and pharmakon

Separately, not in combination

As we mourn and celebrate

As we commit you to earth, Reclaiming your full legacy

Will begin, Amazon/Pharmakon!

The closing chapter of your life

Will not have the last word, Bene

In full and in celebration

We will reclaim your legacy, Bene!

Bene, Bene, Bene, Bene, Bene

We will not forget you!

We dare not forget you!

Amazon and pharmakon!

For the last two years, my colleague Renée Onque has been covering what makes for a happier, longer life. This week, she did the hard work of distilling dozens of interviews and studies into five actionable tips youcan implement today. 

1 Eat a healthy diet. This doesn’t mean eating to lose weight. Super-agers pack their diets with legumes, nuts, grains and vegetables, and they tend to avoid red meat. 

2 Move your body often. Build physical activity into your everyday life. Maybe you walk to the grocery store instead of driving, or ask a friend to take a stroll instead of to grab a drink. 

3 Believe in something. Whether it’s a religion or life philosophy, those who have faith in something tend to live longer.

4 Maintain positive relationships. Spending time around people you enjoy can actually make you happier and extend your life, according to an 86-year Harvard study. 

5 Prioritize lifelong learning. Stay busy by practicing a new skill or hobby regularly. 

These directives seem obvious, but I realized sometimes I do literally none of them. I often have days where I haven’t engaged in one fun conversation with a friend or taken the time to walk around my neighborhood block. 

Reading Renee’s piece reminded me that just because something is easy to do doesn’t mean you don’t have to put effort into doing it – and it’s important to not let the simple things slip your mind.

 

CNBC

The Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) has thrown its support behind the proposed tax reform bills currently at the national assembly, while proposing a different formula for sharing Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue from the one originally put forward by President Bola Tinubu.

In a meeting held on January 16, 2025, between the NGF and the presidential tax reform committee, the governors endorsed a revised VAT sharing formula that differs significantly from the president's original proposal. The governors recommended distributing VAT revenue as follows:

- 50% based on equality (distributed equally among states)

- 30% based on derivation (where goods and services are consumed)

- 20% based on population

This stands in contrast to Tinubu's original formula in the tax reform bills, which proposed:

- 60% based on derivation

- 20% based on equality

- 20% based on population

The governors' proposal shifts the emphasis from derivation to equality-based distribution, potentially benefiting states with lower consumption rates. While supporting the broader tax reform initiative, the governors also took a firm stance against any increase in the VAT rate or reduction in Corporate Income Tax (CIT), citing the need to maintain economic stability.

Additional recommendations from the governors included removing terminal clauses for TETFUND, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in the sharing of development levies. They also advocated for continuing the exemption of essential goods and agricultural produce from VAT to protect citizens' welfare and promote agricultural productivity.

The Federal Government, through Minister of Information and National Orientation Muhammed Idris, expressed satisfaction with the governors' support for the bills and their counter-proposal on the VAT formula. However, he noted that the final decision rests with the National Assembly, which will consider all inputs and submissions, including those from a public hearing.

The tax reform bills, which include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, have faced varying reactions across the country. While southern leaders have generally supported the reforms, northern governors had initially opposed the bills, citing concerns about their region's interests. The current endorsement by the NGF represents a significant shift toward consensus, though with substantial modifications to the original proposal.

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