Author: The Nation

The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has started the review of its regulatory instruments developed since 2015 till date.

The Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NBMA, Dr. Rufus Ebegba while speaking during one of the internal review-meeting in Abuja said the Agency is subjecting all its regulatory instruments and guidelines to internal review noting that it will be a continuous process that would include all the developed guidelines and instruments since 2015.  

He stated that the aim was to ensure improvement of all the documents where necessary. ‘I understand that these documents went through rigorous processes of development in the past years. Let me also recognize all efforts geared towards the present taste of these documents by our stakeholders. However, we are looking at the documents holistically to see if there was any need to correct any aspect of them”.

“The essence of these internal review series is to ensure that the documents are in tandem with international norms due to the increase in scientific knowledge. The internal reviews of the Agency’s guidelines and application forms are all part of efforts to ensure that the Nigerian Biosafety system is strengthened, is up to standard and is up to date with international best practices.”

Ebegba said a lot of guidelines, frameworks/strategies, application forms and information manuals have been developed by the Agency since inception and these have helped in strengthening the Nigerian Biosafety system. He also urged various committees handling some guidelines still under drafting stage to tidy up their works and present the guidelines for reviews.

The NBMA has developed various regulatory instruments and guidelines developed since 2015 and they include two National policies, seven guidelines, twelve Inspection forms, five manuals, one frequently asked question and three strategies/frameworks; including National Biosafety Risk Analysis Framework, National Biosafety Emergency Response Strategy and National Biosafety Communication Strategy.

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the exchange of information and implementation of joint tax audit and investigation exercise.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who witnessed the agreement signing, described the collaboration as “epoch-making”.

 He said the conversation for the harmonisation of the two agencies’ mandates started about a year ago, based on the need to forge a common front in widening the tax net to raise the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio.

 He said Nigeria had maintained an unimpressive tax-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio of between six-to-eight per cent, despite the yearly record-breaking turnovers by FIRS and LIRS, stressing that Nigeria must operate at the same level as other nations within sub-Saharan Africa doing between 14 and 15 per cent in tax to GDP ratio in order to support  government’s development programmes and improve accountability.

  “We have just witnessed an epoch-making ceremony between the Federal Inland Revenue Service and Lagos Inland Revenue Service. This collaboration did not just happen by chance; it is a conversation we started about a year ago with the chairman of FIRS when both parties reviewed their successes and limitations. It was clear there was a need for a relationship to be consummated. Both FIRS and LIRS have been breaking records of their tax collection and administration yearly, but this is not enough,“he added.

We have an unimpressive tax-to-GDP ratio, which ranges between six and eight per cent; this is totally unacceptable.

“Studies have shown that there would be better service delivery to the citizens and improvement in the efficiency of tax collection when the two agencies work together. The cost of tax collection would be reduced, we would see better customer satisfaction and more resources would be generated for the Government to deliver more dividends of democracy.

The Executive Chairman, LIRS, Ayodele Subair signed on behalf of Lagos State, his counterpart, Muhammad Mamman Nami, Executive Chairman, FIRS signed on behalf of the Federal Government.

LIRS Executive Chairman,  Ayodele Subair, said the importance of the agreement was to foster greater collaboration between the two agencies.

 He said though both tax agencies are not only independent of each other but different in the types of taxes they administer, the collaboration between the tax authorities was to promote the smooth operation of activities not only for the benefit of tax authorities, but for improved service delivery for taxpayers.

 “Notwithstanding its inclusion as a fundamental obligation of every Nigerian citizen pursuant to Section 24 (f) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, filing of annual income tax returns or payment of tax therefrom is not an issue that citizens are keen on.  Nonetheless, citizens expect to have direct benefit of democracy and good governance without remembering that the most reliable and sustainable means of Domestic Resource mobilization for Government expenditure is taxation,” Subair said, adding that “there is no reason to debate the above as it has been established that tax compliance and good governance are expected to co-exist as the undividable social contract that binds citizens and governments anywhere in the world. Therefore, citizens and governments are expected to fulfill their end of the bargain in achieving a balance.”

He listed some of the expected MoU benefits to include, a reduction of compliance costs for taxpayers; improved transparency in the tax administration process, which will impact tax disputes, incidences and reconciliation; reduced administration costs for both tax authorities; and elimination of hiding place for recalcitrant taxable persons and entities.

 The FIRS chief, Muhammad Nami, said the essence of the collaboration between the FIRS and LIRS was to enable the two agencies to carry out joint projects together, adding that in the course of its investigations, they both work as a team while the third and most important reason would be to ensure automatic exchange of information which would enable the agency get a bigger data for seamless tax administration. 

 “We will work together as a team during the investigation and have an automatic exchange of information. With this, we will be able to carry out our mandate seamlessly. As part of the joint operation, we will be able to implement presumptive tax as far as issues of tax administration are concerned,” Nami said.

The Federal Government opened a bid for two savings bonds of varying maturities yesterday, six days after it got the House of Representatives nod to borrow N1 trillion, 82 per cent of which will fund the 2022 supplementary budget.

The first, with a tenor of two years, is due by February 15, 2025, and carries an interest rate of 10 per cent per annum, while the other maturing on February 15, 2026, is offered at an interest of 11 per cent yearly, according to a statement by the Debt Office.

Subscription will be welcomed within a five-day window starting Monday and ending Friday, with Wednesday, February 15 planned as the settlement date.

Debt servicing is expected to eat up 123.4 per cent of Africa’s largest economy’s revenue this year, according to the World Bank.

Finance Minister Mrs Zainab Ahmed told Bloomberg TV last month that Nigeria’s debt trajectory is sustainable, noting the government plans to cut the debt service-to-revenue ratio to 60 per cent this year.

While no mention is made of how much would be raised from the debt issuance, the move could help the cash-starved government narrow a funding gap of N11.3 trillion ($24.5 billion) in this year’s spending plan.

Retail investors could invest as little as N5,000 and also have the chance to trade the bonds ahead of maturity at the secondary market via their brokers.

The two bonds are offered at “N1,000 per unit subject to a minimum Subscription of N5,000 and in multiples of N1,000 thereafter, subject to a maximum subscription of N50,000,000,” the Debt Management Office (DMO) said in the document.

Interests are payable every quarter, with the coupon payments scheduled for 15 May, 15 August, 15 November and 15 February.

In the last week of January, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Nigeria’s sovereign credit ratings further into its non-investment grade, citing fiscal vulnerabilities and the government’s worsening debt profile.

That sent the country’s dollar-denominated bonds crashing in the days that followed, with longer-dated bonds being the worst hit.

According to Fitch’s projection, interest payments on Nigeria’s debt as a share of revenue could reach 44.1 per cent this year, putting it only behind distressed neighbours Ghana and Sri Lanka, which declared bankruptcy last year.

As Nigeria’s debt profile continues to rise, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) has taken steps to curtail future borrowings.

The being promoted by NIPC is intended to boost the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

Part of the initiatives to achieve the objective is through the creation of a masterplan which the NIPC said is expected to open up more investment space for new investors, both foreign and local, and as well retain existing ones in the system.

NIPC’s Executive Secretary/CEO, Hajiya Saratu Umar, who spoke in Lagos yesterday with media, said part of the mandate of the Commission is  to encourage, promote and coordinate investment into the economy, saying  this is critical to driving economic growth, creating jobs and generating wealth for Nigerians, as well as facilitating development.

This assignment is made very compelling if we are to set the nation on the path of sustainable progression towards becoming a prosperous nation.

She pointed out that there was a need to promote the country’s investment potential by putting up a marketing/branding strategy, stressing that there would be vigorous campaigns as the country cannot continue to go for loans.

She said: “Nigeria is a resource rich country with a potential that is unrivalled by any other country in the world. Investment promotion comes into attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and mobilise/remobilise Local Direct Investment to unleash the potential of the economy to the optimum.

She said FDI has become very competitive and versatile where the investment promotion thrust of successful jurisdictions that are attracting the largest global market share of FDI inflows are driven by effective, efficient and performance driven investment promotion agencies.”

“With over 178 IPAs worldwide competing to channel FDI to their different countries, a compelling imperative is established that NIPC ensures Nigeria gets a fair share of this global market.

“This is especially important with the onset of Africa Continental Free Trade Area, which is now in force where an investor can establish operation in any signatory country and access the Nigerian market.

“If we are to assert our position as a dominant regional player, we must enhance our investment drive.”

She also observed that the African economies had accentuated their investment climate reforms and business friendly policies, facilitated by a very competitive investment promotion drive.

“The central and strategic role of the NIPC in the coordination of investment promotion should be activated to ensure Nigeria’s investment promotion drive is given traction to onboard investments into the different sectors of the economy in a bid to facilitate economic growth and national development including job creation, import substitution, foreign exchange generation and reduction of our reliance on debt amongst others.

“Consequently, it has become critically important for all stakeholders in the investment promotion ecosystem to work in synergy and complement our competences to collectively drive a national investment promotion campaign.

“Thus, the National Investment Coordination Framework being evolved by the NIPC will provide a clear strategy for a seamless collaboration and coordination of the investment ecosystem as well as usher in a robust and effective stakeholder communication and engagement.

“We believe this will result in effective partnership with all critical stakeholders including the media community to galvanise Nigeria’s investment performance and ensure investment plays a central role in national development.

“Indeed, the media is amongst the most important stakeholders in the investment ecosystem.

“The immediate focus of this stakeholder engagement is to seek a more effective partnership towards national development; ultimately, the desired goal is to ensure collective action that will firmly place the country on the path of sustainable prosperity for current and future generations,” she added.

Speaking further on the Masterplan, the Executive secretary said the focus on investment would be largely pronounced in non-oil export by exploring the various industries in the agric value chain as well as tapping into the country’s solid minerals potential.

Reflecting on the current state of infrastructure and the non-investment friendly atmosphere, she acknowledged the fact that even though they exist, some of them would be tackled while some others could also be turned into opportunities for investors through proper engagements and campaigns.

The National Population Commission (NPC) has signed a landmark deal with Nigeria’s leading integrated technology brand, Zinox Technology, for the supply of the tech components and other accessories for the 2023 national census project, further justifying President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s commitment on local content promotion.

The contract, valued at over N85 billion, was awarded to Zinox after ratification by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Zinox, which has commenced supply of the first batch of about 100,000 units of the Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) devices required for the nationwide enumeration, emerged the preferred technical partners for the exercise after scaling a rigorous bid process involving other local and international competitors.

Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh, said the company had built a system of integrity and a record of excellence, both in Nigeria and internationally, adding that until there was a credible data census figure, the country cannot plan well.

Also, Managing Director, Zinox Technologies, Mrs Kelechi Okonta, said: “It is a privilege for the Federal Government to consider us among many other companies in the world. They know we have the capacity. We are deploying our resources to make sure it is successful.”

The census, scheduled to hold between next month and April, will be the fifth to be conducted by the Federal Government since independence in 1960 and 17 years since the last edition under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Presidency and NPC sources said Zinox stood out in the intense series of background checks conducted to affirm the capacity, experience, integrity and ethical standing of the bidders, with the technology giant also meeting the rating as an indigenous technology powerhouse with global connections which has consistently enjoyed the confidence of leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other tech heavyweights the world over.

This, it was learnt, earned it an overwhelming endorsement by the Federal Government for the project.  Also, to its credit is the fact that it was Zinox that rescued the nation’s voter registration exercise in 2006 and 2010 when big foreign tech companies contracted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could not deliver as scheduled.

Zinox used its Z-Pad smart device to lay the foundation for Nigeria’s digital democracy upon which INEC is building on today. The smooth execution of the over $200million INEC contract in 2010 added impetus to the profile of Zinox as a strong indigenous company with capacity and competence.

President Buhari, who has not hidden his desire to bequeath to the next administration a useful, reliable and credible database which captures Nigeria’s salient socio-economic and demographic information to underpin proper national planning, has thrown his weight behind efforts by the NPC to ensure a successful exercise. To this end, Zinox on Friday, February 3, 2023 hosted a high-powered delegation of commissioners and management team of the NPC led by the Chairman, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, where the first 100,00 units of the digital devices were presented to the commission.

It could be recalled that Zinox introduced the automation of Nigerian elections, first with the introduction of the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines which helped to clean up the nation’s voter register and later the card reader which enhanced credibility of elections in the country.

Zinox had also executed major projects offshore in Guinea Bissau, The Gambia and the Arab nations through partnerships.

The handover ceremony which was held in one of Zinox’s warehousing facilities in Lagos saw the cutting-edge features of the PDAs unveiled to a mixed audience, including representatives of the NPC and sections of the media. Encrypted with census questionnaire and maps to direct enumerators to assigned enumeration areas, the devices were hailed as key components in the conduct of an exercise that would not only meet global standards but equally ensure accuracy of data collected.

The NPC Chairman said the 2023 census would signal a new dawn in housing and human headcount in Nigeria as there would be no over-counting or under-counting, adding that the devices, when commissioned with the forms, maps and other digital enhancements, would ensure that enumerators are unable to go beyond the areas assigned to them. In addition, he commended Zinox for the dedication, commitment and huge capacity displayed in the way it has commenced execution of the contract.

He noted that the software (app) that would be deployed to enable and activate the PDAs was locally developed, thus fulfilling President Buhari’s Executive Order on local content, as well as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) regulation on Local Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the procurement of the PDA devices.

The NPC Chairman said: “With all enhancement that the NPC is provisioning the devices with, e.g, the Mobile Device Management, we can monitor the enumerators on the field and ensure that the data provided by Nigerians are secured and well managed for their privacy.

”The geospatial resources that NPC has acquired will be deployed on the devices. This will ensure that all Nigerians are counted where they are and live. We will also be able to collect statistics on housing type and characteristics for better physical and social planning by government for the nation.

”The homeless will be counted, tied to their usual place of abode, referenced with geo-coordinates; the Special Population: nomads, migrants, people in transit, etc, will be counted with geo-reference to where they are found at the time of the Census. Everyone will be counted because all Nigerians count.”

• Debunks shutdown option

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) yesterday assured that normalcy would return to fuel supply across the country within the next one week.

Its National Operations Controller, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, who gave the assurance, appealed to the Federal Government to give his members some grace period to enable them sell off their petrol stock before enforcing the N195 per litre regime.

IPMAN also debunked an earlier statement threatening to shut its filling stations across the country following the commencement of the N195 per litre price of petrol billed to take off yesterday. Across the metropolis yesterday, there were no signs of the planned N195 per litre enforcement as petrol stations, especially the independents, maintained status quo.

Asked to put a timeline to when normalcy is likely to return, especially in the area of pricing, Osatuyi said: “Well, maybe in one week from now, when we hope that we would have commenced lifting of the product at the official price as agreed with NNPCL and not through a third party. As at today, we have not started lifting the product at official price, but we are sure it will happen soon,” adding that this “will bring down the price of the product”. He noted that the direct sale of products to independent marketers would lead to immediate reversal of retail prices to regulated retail price.

He argued that it is only logical for the government to accede to its request because the  stock being dispensed by its members were sourced at a high price far above the official ex-depot price.

“Yes, we are appealing to the government to allow us some days to sell off the stock we have so as not to run into debts because we sourced the same at a very high ex-depot price; fair is fair. If we bought the product at N270 ex-depot, selling at N195 will amount to a great loss for us,” he said.

The Vice Chairman, IPMAN Western Zone, Chief Joseph Akanni, buttressed Osatuyi’s position. He said all that the association was asking was for time to sell the products its members bought at a high price.

“We have already instructed our members not to buy high-priced petroleum products. We will only be buying products from NNPC. We have also advised our members not to buy any products that they can’t sell at N195 litre according to the Federal Government guideline. Most of our members paid to the private depot owners almost three to four weeks ago and they were yet to supply them but started to supply them now.”

 We have pleaded with the authority to give us time to sell off the products this is against the backdrop that our members want to go on rampage. That is not true,” he said.

Osatuyi therefore called on his members to keep their stations open and sell to the public nationwide, adding that the Association is a responsible body that will not involve itself in undermining the national security of the country because petrol is a national security product.

He revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and IPMAN have firmed up arrangements for direct supply of petrol at the official ex depot price of N172 per litre-a price at which both NNPCL and the major marketers are supplied. To this end, Osatuyi disclosed that IPMAN members will now load the product at DAPPMAN depots in Abule-Ado, Ijegun axis of Lagos, at the official price because DAPPMAN has agreed to sell petrol at N172 per litre to IPMAN members. This is part of the Federal Government and DAPMAN’s efforts in ensuring that Nigerians enjoy the subsidy regime. IPMAN, he further said, will also load petrol in NIPCO and MRS depots massively for the Southwest and Northwest part of the country in a few days’ time.

In a related development, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has approved the constitution of the Edo State Petroleum Monitoring Committee, in a bid to address the scarcity and arbitrary pricing of petroleum products in the state.

The Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, in a statement, noted that the committee was made up of representatives of Edo Ministry of Mining and Energy, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs),  IPMAN, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

Others were representatives of the the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV), Edo Security Network, Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) and HOSTCOM.

Ogie, a lawyer, stated that members of the committee were charged to ensure synergy among relevant stakeholders, to ensure quick and sustainable resolution to the lingering issues, for the benefit of Edo residents.

Meanwhile, transporters associations under the auspices of Coalition of Transporters, have threatened to picket headquarters of the NNPL over lingering fuel scarcity.

This is contained in a six-point Communique issued by Chairpersons of the associations yesterday in Abuja. The Communique was signed by Alhaji Jamilu Mai Alheri, the Chairman Trailer Drivers Association (TADAN) and five others.

The associations said they had put their members across the country on alert to picket NNPCL Abuja, if nothing was done to urgently fix the problem. The associations said they would continue to occupy the NNPCL Towers until the problem was tackled. They also said members engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transport election related materials would  be withdrawn if the problem was not resolved.

“We are currently experiencing unbearable conditions occasioned by the lingering fuel shortage. Our members depend largely on daily income from the transportation services which have been adversely affected by the scarcity. It is also inconceivable that fuel is sold at licenced and government recognised filling stations for between N350 to N400 per litre across the six geo-political zones. This has forced the majority of our members to abandon their buses, motorcycles among others,” the Communique said.