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Tax Reforms Can Promote Nigeria’s Fiscal Stability, Says Lagos Chamber

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By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed support to the federal government tax reforms bills stressing that the move would improve Nigeria’s fiscal stability.According to the Chamber the ongoing initiatives could raise the nation’s tax-to-GDP ratio to 11 per cent by 2025.

The President and Chairman of the Council, LCCI, Gabriel Idahosa, made its position known during the 2025 Economic Review and Outlook Conference held on Thursday.
The Tax Reform Bill, which includes the Nigeria Tax Bill (NTB), Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB), Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill (NRSEB), and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill (JRBEB), aims to address inefficiencies, broaden the tax base, increase government revenue, and stimulate economic growth.
The LCCI support for the legislation is coming amid rising opposition on the bill from various stakeholders including the northern governors, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and Academic Staff Union of Universities among others.ASUU had said the bill, when passed into law, would steadily reduce funding available to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) from this year until the Fund is left completely without funding by the year 2030.Also, the NLC had on Wednesday called for the withdrawal of the tax reform bill until a public hearing is held or there is greater inclusivity in the tax committee before the bill is passed.The Head of Information at the NLC, Benson Upah, noted on Wednesday that past experiences with agreements and dialogues with the federal government have taught the union to be cautious.He argued that the tax reform bill is targeted at extorting Nigerian workers across all sectors of the economy.But speaking on the tax reform bills, Idahosa noted that Nigeria’s current tax-to-GDP ratio of 10.6 per cent is significantly lower than the African average of 15.6 per cent and among the lowest globally.He emphasized the importance of the Tax Reform Bill now before the National Assembly, which seeks to simplify tax administration, broaden the tax base, and promote equity through progressive measures.“If implemented, the reforms could increase non-oil revenue by 25 per cent by 2026, generating an additional N500bn in income tax annually,” Idahosa stated, adding that “This will reduce reliance on debt financing and enhance fiscal sustainability.”The conference also reviewed Nigeria’s economic performance in 2024, a year marked by pivotal reforms in fiscal policy, energy, and trade.The non-oil sector played a key role in economic growth, expanding by 3.37 per cent in Q3 2024, driven by a 5.19 per cent increase in the services sector. Overall GDP growth reached 3.46 per cent, the highest since Q4 2023.On the 2025 federal budget, Idahosa commended the government’s allocation of N8tn for infrastructure projects and N5tn for education and healthcare.However, he expressed concerns about the projected budget deficit of N11.3trn, cautioning against over-reliance on borrowing.The conference brought together leading economists and stakeholders to discuss strategies for advancing Nigeria’s economic agenda in the face of persistent challenges and emerging opportunities.

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Police Detain Woman for Alleged Killing of Co-wife in Bauchi

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The police command in Bauchi State, said it has apprehended a housewife over alleged killing of her co-wife following a domestic violence incident in Bauchi metropolis.

This was contained in a statement by the spokesman of the command, SP Nafiu Habib, on Monday in Bauchi.

He said that the command detained the suspect (name withheld) on Sept.

27 for alleged culpable homicide following a domestic incident at Tafawa Balewa Housing Estate in Bauchi.

Habib said that on Sept. 27, at about 4:05 p.m., the Police C-Division, Bauchi, received credible information that there was a domestic incident between two wives residing in the same household belonging to their husband.

He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the 33-year-old suspect, who is the second wife, allegedly acting under hallucinations, struck the first wife with pestle on the forehead, and the victim fell unconscious.

“Upon receipt of the report, detectives attached to C-Division immediately mobilised to the scene.

 “The scene was documented, and the victim was rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, where she was certified dead by a medical doctor. The corpse has been deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy,” he said.

Habib said that the police recovered the pestle used in committing the offence.

He quoted the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, as directing the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation and prosecution.

Aliyu condoled with the bereaved family and cautioned against domestic violence.

The CP also advised husbands to seek timely medical and psycho-social support for members of their families exhibiting mental health challenges. (NAN)

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FRSC Deploys 170 Ambulances Nationwide for Emergency Rescue

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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed more than 170 ambulances across the country as part of efforts to strengthen emergency response and rescue operations on Nigerian roads.

The Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Osondu Ohaeri, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, while responding to questions on the operational capacity of the corps emergency ambulance network and its response to Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs).

Ohaeri said the FRSC had the largest number of ambulances among emergency response agencies in Nigeria, with more than 170 ambulances and 60 Zebra points across the country.

He said the figure should however not be interpreted as the number of ambulances currently operational or serviceable as of September 2026.

According to him, an accurate current figure of serviceable ambulances will require the latest fleet-status report from the corps medical and rescue office.

He explained that the figures demonstrated the scale of the corps emergency response network, while the availability of individual ambulances was managed operationally based on their location, condition and assignment.

On the adequacy of the ambulances for emergency rescue, he said the corps continued to maintain and deploy its assets as part of its emergency response responsibilities, stressing that the status of individual vehicles could vary depending on their operational condition and assignment.

The CPEO said the corps was also focused on improving its emergency response capacity, particularly by strengthening rescue deployment and collaboration with other relevant agencies.

He also said that the corps had historically recorded an average response time of about 15 minutes under its documented emergency-response programme.

He cautioned against presenting the figure as the current nationwide average without updated operational data.

According to him, response time varies depending on several factors including the location of a crash, traffic congestion, distance from the nearest ambulance point and accessibility of the crash scene.

He added that the accuracy and timeliness of information provided by callers could also affect the speed with which rescue teams reached crash scenes.

Other factors he said include the possibility of emergency teams responding to other incidents simultaneously.

Ohaeri stressed that the corps had identified faster response to road traffic crashes and other emergencies as one of its management priorities in 2026.

He said efforts were therefore ongoing to strengthen rescue deployment and inter-agency collaboration to improve emergency response to road crashes.

He added that the FRSC remained committed to improving emergency rescue operations, strengthening the deployment of its resources and working with relevant stakeholders to ensure better outcomes for road crash victims.

He reiterated that complaints concerning emergency response, evacuation, treatment of victims or other forms of alleged misconduct should be channeled through the appropriate authorities for investigation and necessary action.

The CPEO further assured that the corps would continue to strengthen its emergency response mechanisms as part of broader efforts to reduce the consequences of road traffic crashes and improve the safety of road users nationwide.(NAN)

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NBA Decries Rising Insecurity in Plateau, Urges Urgent Action

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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has decried the spate of security challenges currently confronting Plateau and other parts of Nigeria.

The Chairman of Jos Branch of the association, Morgan Dung, said this during a joint news conference on Monday in Jos.

Dung spoke on behalf of the Jos, Bukuru and Pankshin branches of the association.

The chairman particularly decried the recent attacks and killings in Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa, Wase and Kanam Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Dung, who described the continuous killings of innocent residents as “unfortunate and unacceptable”, called on the Federal Government and the security agencies to tackle the menace.

“The protection of lives and property remain the most fundamental responsibility of government as contained in section 33 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“NBA frowns at the inability of the government to prevent the continuous loss of lives and property in Plateau and beyond.

“We particularly condemn the recent killing of members of community vigilantes at their duty posts in Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos and Bassa LGAs

“We call on the government and security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book. This menace must also stop,”he said.

Dung, however, commended president Bola Tinubu over his recent visit to Plateau and the move to establish State Police in the country.

He further called on the government to sponsor an executive bill to fully domicile security issues under the concurrent legislative list.

Dung urged the government to properly and adequately equip security agencies, strengthen border surveillance and secure all forests serving as hideouts for bandits and other criminal elements.

The chairman also commended Gov. Caleb Mutfwang for revamping Operation Rainbow, a state-owned security outfit and training of 2,000 personnel of the neighbourhoods watch.

He, however, called for the licensing of Operation Rainbow to operate with kinetic facilities, implement the anti-land grabbing law and provide structures for police division and forward operation bases in the state.

Dung advised security agencies to deploy more personnel and equipment to flashpoints in the state, insisting that such a move would ensure prompt response to threats.

The chairman, who called on the judiciary to ensure timely dispensation of terrorism cases, advised governors to sign death warrants of convicted terrorists to serve as a deterrent to others.

He pledged NBA’s readiness to promote access to justice, document evidence of atrocities and pursue public interest litigation to ensure accountability (NAN)

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