Business

Naira Notes: Why Talks With CBN, Banks’ CEOs Failed To Hold — Reps

Published

3 years ago

January 26, 2023

The ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives constituted to interface with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and bank chief executive officers on the January 31 deadline for withdrawal of old naira notes said yesterday that late delivery of invitation letters to invitees stalled the meeting.

Chairman of the committee and majority leader of the House, Ado Doguwa, told his colleagues an hour after they had gathered for the meeting.

Recall that the time for the meeting was 3 pm but Doguwa did not enter room 301 of the new building in the House of Representatives, the venue of the meeting, until 4 pm.

By 4:05, a member of the House, Uyem Idem, was asked to say the opening prayers.

Thereafter, Doguwa told the members of the committee that they had scheduled to meet with the CBN officials yesterday (Wednesday) and subsequently take the bank CEOs today (Thursday).

He, however, said a communication received from the CBN liaison officer stated that due to late arrival of the letter, the bureaucracy could not work on it.

Doguwa said the meeting with the apex bank had been rescheduled for today by 1 pm, while that with bank CEOs would come up later.

He said: “This is the House ad-hoc committee to interface with the CBN and bank operators with regards to resolving the issue of the phasing out the strategy of the old naira notes and to bring into circulation the new naira notes, among other reasons.

“We also have other factors we have discussed on the floor of the House yesterday and ultimately, the House mandated this ad-hoc committee to come up with a strategy to engage the officials of the CBN and CEOs of the commercial banks.

‘’It is, therefore, my pleasure to, at this point inform members of the committee, first of all, that we scheduled today’s (yesterday) meeting based on the letter we have signed out only with officials of the CBN and we have scheduled bank operators to come up tomorrow (Friday).

“So, it is like we, ab initio, invited them separately based on the nature of the engagement. It is a fact-finding thing and like I always say, this is not something to witch-hunt anyone. It is a simple fact-finding mission by the parliament, which obviously holds the proxy of the Nigerian people. So, we decided to take them separately.

“We have scheduled today for the officials of the CBN and tomorrow for bank operators and CEOs of commercial banks and on that note, I would like to communicate with members of the public that based on communication I just received from CBN, it is that our letter of invitation got to the bank very late yesterday.

“You can all agree with me that the resolution was taken at the end of our sitting yesterday, January 24, 2023, and before we could finish the necessary procedures, the letters were sent to the CBN late.

‘’So, the liaison officer of the bank spoke to us this evening (yesterday) that they were not able to really act on the letter to allow for their engagement today.

“On this note, I would like to convey to this committee and members of the public and the press here with us that we have conceded to allow the CBN officials to come tomorrow (today) by 1pm, so we could engage them and immediately after the engagement with them, we would engage the bank operators.”

Banks warned against boycotting meetings Doguwa also warned the banks against boycotting the meeting, emphasizing that the summons of the House must be taken very seriously.

The chairman added that no unpopular policies hampering the economy of the country and affecting the people negatively would be allowed to sail through.

“For the purposes of clarification, I want to say without any fear of contradiction that the parliament is always an institution that represents the Nigerian people.

‘’When there is any need it calls for an invitation to any government employee like it is the case here with the CBN, the governor of the CBN, his directors, deputy directors, all departmental heads, I believe our own employees of the Nigerian people, and when there is a kind of summon from the institution of the parliament like this, we expect every up and doing employee to only respect that invitation.

“On this note, I want to say on behalf of the House of Representatives that we have taken this from the point of perhaps, giving them the leverage or benefit of the doubt that yes, the letter got to them late yesterday and on no account, I repeat, would we have a repeat of this failure tomorrow (today).

‘’None of us here is acting in his personal capacity. None of us here is acting for any personal reasons, especially on a matter like this where Nigerian people and economy are threatened by a lot of dangers by the policy of a government department.

“Those of here who are working for the Nigerian people, we cannot sit down here and watch policies of the government that are not unpopular, threaten the survival of our economy to continue.

‘’I hear some of them saying it is a matter they have decided. It is a matter that no one goes back about it. This is the supreme institution of Nigeria’s democracy and I want to say without any fear of contradiction that for whatever policy the government is undertaking, especially at a critical period like this, Nigerians must know and whoever is involved must know that definitely, the interest of the Nigerian people holds sway.

‘’So, there is no policy whatsoever that cannot be reversed, good or bad, as long as that policy or the reversal of that policy is going to be in the overall interest of Nigerians.

“We would not endanger our economy. We would also not allow anybody to endanger our economy. CBN must appear before this committee of the House of Representatives tomorrow (today) by 1 pm to discuss this very critical matter.

‘’It borders on the survival of our economy and our people, the businesses are shut down all over; agriculture is suffering. petty businesses in the villages are also suffering. I understand that in some places, even dowry, bride price is not being accepted. So, this is a serious issue,” Doguwa said.

Business

Naira Records Highest Depreciation Against US Dollar

Published

11 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

The Naira recorded the highest depreciation against the United States dollar at the official foreign exchange on Friday to end the week on a negative note.

Central Bank of Nigeria data showed that the Naira extended its dip on Friday to N1,423.17 against the dollar, down from N1,419.72 traded on Thursday.

This represents a N3.45 depreciation against the dollar on a day-to-day basis, the highest in the week under review and in 2026 so far.

Meanwhile, at the black market, the naira remained at N1,490 per dollar on Friday, the same rate recorded on Thursday.

In the other week, the Naira recorded three gains and two losses against the US dollar and other currencies.

The development comes amid the continued rise in the country’s external reserves, which hit $45.67 billion as of January 8, 2026.

Business

KPMG Flags Five Major ‘Errors’ In Nigerian Tax Laws

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

Fresh apprehension has surfaced over Nigeria’s newly implemented tax framework after KPMG Nigeria highlighted what it described as “errors, inconsistencies, gaps, and omissions” in the new tax laws that took effect on January 1, 2026. The professional services firm in a recent statement cautioned that failure to address these issues could weaken the overall objectives of the tax reforms.

Nigeria’s tax overhaul is built around four major legislations: the Nigeinpieces of legislation:ria Tax Act (NTA), the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Establishment Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) Establishment Act. The laws were signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2025 and formally commenced in 2026. However, the reforms have continued to attract controversy since they were first introduced in October 2024.

Despite the concerns, government officials have consistently described the reforms as essential to improving Nigeria’s low tax-to-GDP ratio and modernisingpieces of legislation:modernizing the country’s tax system in line with evolving economic conditions.

In a detailed review, KPMG outlined several areas of concern.

Capital gains, inflation modernizing inflation and market response

KPMG flagged Sections 39 and 40 of the Nigeria Tax Act, which require capital gains to be calculated as the difference between sale proceeds and the tax-written-down value of assets, without adjusting for inflation. According to the firm, this approach is problematic given Nigeria’s prolonged high-inflation environment.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that headline inflation has remained in double digits for eight consecutive years, averaging over 18 percent between 2022 and 2025. Over the same period, asset prices have been significantly influenced by currency depreciation and general price increases.

Market data also reflects investor sensitivity to tax policy changes. Although the NGX All-Share Index gained more than 50 percent over the year and market capitalisation inflation,capitalization approached N99.4 trillion, equities experienced sharp sell-offs in late 2025. In November alone, market value reportedly declined by about N6.5 trillion amid uncertainty surrounding the new capital gains tax regime.

KPMG warned that taxing nominal gains in such an environment could result in investors paying tax on inflation-driven increases rather than real economic gains. The firm recommended introducing a cost indexation mechanism to adjust asset values for inflation, noting that this would reduce distortions while still enabling the government to earn revenue from genuine capital appreciation.

Indirect transfers and foreign investment concerns

Attention was also drawn to Section 47 of the Nigeria Tax Act, which subjects gains from indirect transfers by non-residents to Nigerian tax where the transactions affect ownership of Nigerian companies or assets.

This provision comes at a time of subdued foreign investment. Figures from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development indicate that foreign direct investment inflows into Nigeria remain below pre-2019 levels, reflecting ongoing investor caution.

While similar rules exist in other countries, KPMG noted that they are often supported by detailed guidance and clear thresholds. The firm advised Nigerian tax authorities to issue comprehensive administrative guidelines to clarify scope, thresholds,capitalizationthresholds, and reporting obligations inorder to reduce disputes and limit potential negative effects on foreign investment.

Foreign exchange deductions and business impact

Another issue identified relates to Section 24 of the Act, which restricts businesses from deducting foreign-currencyforeign currency expenses beyond their naira equivalent at the official Central Bank of Nigeria exchange rate.

In reality, limited access to official foreign exchange forces many companies to source FX at higher parallel market rates. Under the current rule, the additional cost becomes non-deductible, effectively increasing taxable profits and overall tax liabilities.

KPMG observed that although the provision aims to discourage FX speculation, it does not adequately reflect supply constraints. The firm recommended allowing deductions based on actual costs incurred, provided transactions are properly documented, to avoid penalisingforeign currencypenalizing businesses for factors outside their control.

VAT-related expense disallowances

Section 21(p) of the Nigeria Tax Act also came under scrutiny for disallowing deductions on expenses where VAT was not charged, even if the costs were entirely business-related.

Given Nigeria’s large informal sector and persistent VAT compliance gaps, analysts argue that the rule unfairly shifts part of the VAT enforcement burden onto compliant taxpayers. KPMG advised that the provision be removed or significantly amended, stressing that expense deductibility should be based on whether costs were wholly and necessarily incurred for business, while VAT compliance should be enforced directly on defaulting suppliers.

Non-resident taxation uncertainties

KPMG further highlighted ambiguities around the compliance obligations of non-resident companies. While the Nigeria Tax Act recognizespenalizingrecognizes withholding tax as the finalthe final tax for certain nonresident payments in the absence of a permanent establishment or significant economic presence, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act does not clearly exempt such entities from registration and filing requirements.

Nigeria’s network of double taxation treaties, including agreements with the UK, South Africa, Canada, and France, generally supports the principle that final withholding tax extinguishes further obligations. Experts warn that inconsistencies between the laws could create uncertainty and discourage foreign participation.

KPMG recommended harmonizing the relevant provisions of the NTA and NTAA, with explicit exemptions for non-resident companies whose tax obligations have been fully settled through withholding tax. The firm noted that such alignment would ease compliance and enhance Nigeria’s appeal for cross-border transactions.

As Nigeria undertakes its most extensive tax reform in decades, KPMG concluded that the success of the overhaul will depend on clarity, consistency, and alignment with international best practices. Without timely amendments, businesses may face higher costs, foreign investors could remain cautious, and capital markets may continue to experience volatility.

Recall that KPMG concerns come after a lawmaker, Abdulsamman Dasuki, raised alarm over alleged alterations to the gazetted tax laws.
(DAILY POST)

Business

Naira Records First Depreciation Against US Dollar In 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

The Naira recorded its first depreciation against the United States dollar in the official foreign exchange market on Thursday, the first time in 2026 so far.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s data showed that it weakened on Thursday after days of gains to N 1,419.72 per dollar, down from N 1,418.26 on Wednesday.

This means that for the first time this year, the Naira dipped by N1.46 against the dollar on a day-to-day basis.

Similarly, the Naira also depreciated by N10 at the black market to N1,490 on Thursday, down from the N1,480 recorded the previous day.

This comes despite the continued rise in the country’s foreign reserves to $45.64 billion as of Wednesday, 7th January 2026.

DAILY POST reports that the Naira recorded a seven-day bullish run at the official foreign exchange before Thursday’s decline.