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Leather, key to GDP’s growth – Onu

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By: Ikenna Oluka

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said leather products , which will effectively aid the growth of Nigeria’s  gross domestic product (GDP).

Dr. Onu made this assertion during the graduation of 34 trainees from Kogi and Plateau states and the matriculation ceremony of 48 trainees from the Internally Displaced Person camps from Bornu State on Thursday 4th April, 2019 in Abuja.

The Training programmes which is sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, (NILEST) is designed to train specialized artisans on leather craft to enable them become employers of labour  in leather and allied industries.

Dr. Onu, further said ‘’if the nation could be well skilled and mastered in leather works production, we could move to develop more sophisticated technological areas’’.

He charged the graduating and matriculating students, to establish business ventures with the knowledge acquired from their training to create and sustain wealth from their expertise. More jobs are created by small and medium scale enterprises, urging the graduands   to establish viable leather businesses to benefit future generations.

 He said Nigeria could be an industrialised nation if leather and textile works are properly utilized. “When we properly utilize leather products, we will be in a better position to ensure our drive to be an industrialised nation to be irreversible”, he added.

According to Dr. Onu, the best way the nation could wipe out the scourge of poverty is by empowering her citizens with adequate skills. “The best way to fight poverty is to give people technology and technical know-how they really require, In order to improve productivity”, he added.

Earlier, the Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, (NILEST) Dr. Eucharia Ngozi Oparah, said the leather industry has the capacity to employ thousands of Nigerians directly or indirectly across the leather value chain.

She also said the leather industry is a significant Foreign Exchange earner which contributes immensely to the nation’s GDP. “As you are all aware the leather Industry is a key player in the President Buhari diversification agenda”, she added.   

She said that the Institute is delighted to be one of the implementing partners for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria towards empowering youths, women, retirees, refugees and physically challenged Internal Displaced Persons.

In his remarks, the UNDP resident representative Khardia Ndiay said that the UNDP will continue to work with leaning institutions to provide the skills and knowledge that victims of this decade’s long conflict will be able to utilise and help put them on a path to self reliance. He expressed hope that with this training, the graduates will be able to either start their own business or gain employment.

The Ambassador of European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ketil Karlsen said  that the EU will continue to partner with the government of Nigeria and other stakeholders in rebuilding the lives of conflict-affected persons knowing that  contribution towards peace and stability in Nigeria is indeed contribution towards global peace and stability.

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Tinubu Launches Personal Income Tax Calculator to Improve Compliance, Fairness

By ORJI ISRAEL

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Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has launched a Personal Income Tax Calculator to help Nigerians work out their tax obligations under the new tax law.

The tool is expected to make compliance easier and improve transparency in the system.

In a post on his X page, the president said the calculator shows how the recent reforms protect low-income earners while ensuring fairness.

“A fair tax system must never punish poverty or weigh down the most vulnerable. With the new tax laws I recently signed, taking effect from January 2026, we have lifted this burden and created a path of equity, fairness, and true redistribution in our economy,” Tinubu said.

Some months ago, he signed four major tax bills into law to bring Nigeria’s scattered tax system under one framework. These include the Nigeria Tax Administration Law, which sets out a uniform process for tax administration across federal, state, and local governments; the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, which replaces the current Federal Inland Revenue Service Act with a stronger, more independent revenue agency; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, which creates a formal structure for cooperation between revenue bodies at all levels.

The introduction of the tax calculator, together with these reforms, is expected to reduce confusion for both individuals and businesses, while also making it easier for them to meet their obligations and contribute to national growth.

Tinubu added that the reforms are part of building renewed hope for the economy and urged Nigerians to trust in the country’s future for themselves and their families.

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FIRS e-Invoicing Hits 20% Adoption in Two Weeks

Reporter: SANDRA ANI

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VAT controversy | FIRS e-Invoicing

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says that no fewer than 1,000 companies, representing 20% of total eligible firms, have begun integrating its newly launched electronic invoicing  (e-invoicing) system less than two weeks after it went live.

The FIRS e-invoicing platform, which went live on August 1, 2025, after a successful pilot phase that began in November 2024, was designed to modernise Nigeria’s tax administration, curb evasion, and enhance transparency in revenue generation. It also provides the FIRS with real-time visibility into commercial transactions, ensuring authenticity and completeness of invoices.

According to a statement by Dare Adekanmbi, special adviser on Media to FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji, at least 1,000 companies, representing 20% of more than 5,000 eligible firms, have already adopted the system and begun integrating with the FIRS platform.

Adekanmbi noted that the initiative, also known as the Merchant-Buyer Model, will be rolled out in phases. “Large taxpayers, which are companies with annual turnover of N5 billion and more, are expected to be the first to be onboarded on the platform,” he said.

FIRS revealed that MTN Nigeria was the first taxpayer to transmit live electronic invoices to the platform, while Huawei Nigeria and IHS Nigeria have concluded test transmissions and are expected to go live soon.

The agency added that the initial compliance deadline of August 1, 2025, has been extended by three months to accommodate companies currently facing onboarding challenges. The new deadline is now November 1, 2025.

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NGX Boss, Umaru Kwairanga, to Chair Business Journal Fintech Roundtable 2025

By Our Correspondent

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NGX Boss, Umaru Kwairanga
NGX Boss, Umaru Kwairanga

Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) will Chair the 2nd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2025 scheduled for Friday, August 29, 2025 at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos. Time is 10-am prompt.

The theme of the Roundtable is: Fintech & Financial Inclusion: The Opportunities & Challenges for Nigeria.

In a statement, Prince Cookey, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Business Journal Media Group said the choice of Umaru Kwairanga to chair the event is a reflection of his immense and chequered journey in the Nigerian economic system over the years.

“Dr. Umaru Kwairanga is a noted player in the Nigerian economy and financial services sector. Over the years, he has carved a positive niche in driving the narrative in national policy formulation, implementation and review. He remains a worthy point of reference and role model to current and future players in the Nigerian economy.”

Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Kwairanga, Sarkin Fulani Gombe and Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), is a notable player in the Nigerian corporate world, a thorough-bred professional and a prominent community leader in Gombe State and the North East region.

He has served at the highest levels of the banking, pension, investment, manufacturing and commercial sectors of Nigeria’s economy. He is the current Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Nigeria’ oldest stock exchange and also Chairman of Tangerine General Insurance Limited.

The NGX Chairman is also a Director on the Boards of First Bank Senegal Limited, Tangerine Apt Pensions Limited and the Group Managing Director of Finmal Finance Services Limited.  

He is a past Chairman of Ashaka Cement plc and previously served on the Boards of Jaiz Bank Plc, Central Securities Clearing System Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc and First Bank Mortgages Limited to mention a few.

Professionally, Alhaji Kwairanga is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria, the Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria and the Abuja Commodities and Securities Exchange.

He is also a Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; the Chartered Institute of Directors and he is the current President of the Certified Pensions Institute of Nigeria.

Kwairanga is a holder of the prominent traditional title of Sarkin Fulani Gombe and has led several initiatives for peace and development in Gombe State and the North East region in general.

He has also been involved in policy and strategy formulation in the public sector as a Member of the Vision 2020 Committee, the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan and several committees of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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