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CBN commits N69bn to Edo oil palm sector as Obaseki woos investors

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…Edo gets 80 percent of apex bank’s N30bn agric intervention

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has invested N69bn the into Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), an initiative of the Godwin Obaseki-led administration to rejuvenate the sector for global competitiveness.

The apex bank’s governor, Godwin Emefiele, at the launch of the programme in Benin City, said Edo with Nigeria’s largest oil palm plantation, is the best place to invest, if the country must revive its oil palm industry.

Emefiele who commended Obaseki’s commitment to developing the country’s oil palm sector, disclosed that the CBN will make available N69bn funding facility required for the ESOPP.

Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki said the project is in line with his administration’s agenda to harness the state’s rich human and natural endowments to achieve economic growth and wellbeing of Edo people.

He maintained that his government is committed to diversify the state’s economy, achieving economic prosperity, creating jobs and improving the lives of the people.

“The focus on the oil palm sector alone can stimulate and drive the economy of any state as it has done to Malaysia and Indonesia. This programme will enable us move from complaining and talking about what we have lost to concrete action towards regaining what has been lost”.

Obaseki said the ESOPP will leverage on what the CBN has initiated, adding, “Ours is to remove the critical risk in the oil palm sector by solving the biggest hindrances to plantation farm in Nigeria and making land available to farmers”.

He said his administration has provided about 120,000 hectares of land for oil palm development in the state.

“Successful implementation of the programme will create over 600,000 more jobs as well as 25,000 hectares of forest cover. This programme will cost us about $600 million, which is approximately N200bn. The money is there globally as money is not out of reach with investors on ground”.

The governor said he is setting up the Edo State Oil Palm Programme implementation office, noting that consultants, surveyors, community relations experts will be trained to review and ensure guidelines are strictly followed.

“I thank the CBN governor for stimulating the agricultural sector, creating the platform for our dream to come true. As a state, our goal is to be that trigger state for oil palm in Nigeria as the nation needs millions of lands for oil palm. We will stand as a stimulant for other states”, Obaseki added.

Meanwhile, the CBN governor, who said Edo State made available 120,000 hectares of land for the project, noted that the state has already benefited over 80 percent from the apex bank’s N30bn agriculture intervention for states.

Emefiele said, “I want to thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for showing the required commitment and leadership in developing the oil palm sector in Nigeria. When we contemplated on reviving the oil palm sector in Nigeria, he was the only one that came out aggressively from the South-South and South-East governors and made available 120,000 hectares of land for this project.

“Edo State has the largest oil palm plantation in Nigeria and in reviving the oil palm industry in Nigeria Edo State is the best place to start. The CBN has disbursed about N30 billion naira to entrepreneurs in the oil sector in Nigeria in the last one year and out of that amount, about N25 billion has been channeled to support companies into oil palm plantation in Edo State.

He continued, “The first Ethanol plant developed in Nigeria is in Edo State and the CBN disbursed about N8bn to support the project about a week ago. When I met with the governors, I told them that it is better to work together and rediscover our states and make them viable again.

“I will say equivocally that with the effort of Edo State Government in cassava, oil palm, rice value chain, and the support entrepreneurs in the state are receiving through CBN intervention, I have no doubt in my mind that Edo State will be economically viable in another 3 years”.

The CBN governor also warned that the bank will deal ruthlessly with smugglers of palm oil in the country if they fail to stop their illegal operations.

“I use this opportunity to advise those economic saboteurs who still think they will hide under the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme to sabotage the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria. We will do our best to revamp this sector, including directing all banks in Nigeria to close the account of any company, person, staff, owners, top management and supply chain enablers involved in smuggling.”

Earlier, Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Programme, Prince Joe Okojie said the 120,000 hectares of land for the programme was made available by the four Local Government Areas in the state.

According to him, while Ovia North East provided 25,329 hectares; Ovia South West had 36, 759 hectares; while Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode provided 51,000 and 23, 000 hectares of land of land respectively.

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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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Finance

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

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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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