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Tinubu Moves To Bar Customs, NPA, Others From Revenue Collection

President Bola Tinubu may bar revenue-generating agencies from collecting revenues on behalf of the Federal Government as he plans to introduce a single agency – Nigeria Revenue Service – to handle the task.
This came as the Federal Government instituted a comprehensive set of fresh tax reforms aimed at significantly boosting revenue collection.
The reforms, designed to enhance the efficiency of collecting direct taxes, along with various levies that are imposed on behalf of the government, will bar the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, and 60 other revenue collection agencies from participating in revenue collection activities, but will lead to the creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service.
By implementing these changes, the government seeks to streamline the tax collection process, ensuring that all taxable entities contribute their fair share and that the revenue generated is maximised to support public services and infrastructure development.
The policy directive was instituted on Thursday when the President forwarded four executive bills to the National Assembly for consideration, aiming to implement significant tax reforms.
Nigeria is contending with a revenue challenge that cuts across all government tiers but wants to attain a minimum tax-to-GDP ratio of 18 per cent. The country’s tax-to-GDP ratio is below Africa’s average and ranks as one of the lowest in the world.
This has led to fiscal deficit and over-reliance on borrowing to finance public spending resulting in a cycle of inadequate funding for socio-economic development.
One of the key proposals is the renaming of the Federal Inland Revenue Service to the Nigeria Revenue Service.
A source at the Presidency, however, hinted that the new bill would not lead to a merger but seek to remove the revenue collection arm from the agencies and allocate its function to the Nigerian Revenue Services.
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“There is no merger of agencies. The bill will only take the revenue collection arm of each agency involved and take it to the Nigerian Revenue Service.
“The plan is that the new revenue agency will be like the US or UK revenue agency that collects all government revenues while other revenue agencies like NIMASA, NPA, Customs, etc, will now focus on their core mandate, which is trade facilitation. There is no merger at all,” the official said.
The bill seeking the name change for FIRS was outlined in a letter read by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during the plenary sessions.
The proposed law, titled the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, seeks to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, No. 13, 2007, and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service.
According to Tinubu, the new agency will be responsible for assessing, collecting, and accounting for revenue accruing to the government.
In addition to the name change, Tinubu submitted three other tax reform bills under the title, ‘Transmission of Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bills’ to the National Assembly.
The President also transmitted to the parliament the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which seeks to create a Tax Tribunal and a Tax Ombudsman.
He wrote, “The Nigeria Tax Bill: This bill seeks to provide a consolidated fiscal framework for taxation in the country.
“The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill: Aimed at offering a clear and concise legal framework, this bill will ensure the fair, consistent, and efficient administration of tax laws, facilitating ease of tax compliance, reducing disputes, and optimizing revenue collection.
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“The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill: This proposal seeks to establish the Joint Revenue Board, the Tax Appeal Tribunal, and the Office of the Tax Ombudsman, which will work to harmonise, coordinate, and resolve disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria.”
Tinubu emphasised that the proposed tax bills would have far-reaching benefits for the country, promoting taxpayer compliance, strengthening fiscal institutions, and fostering a more effective and transparent fiscal regime.
“I am confident that the bills, when passed, will encourage investment, boost consumer spending, and stimulate Nigeria’s economic growth,” Tinubu stated.
On the floor of the House of Representatives, Speaker, Abbas, confirmed receipt of the bills, stressing that they were designed in line with the objectives of the present administration.
He noted that when passed into law, the bills would encourage the growth and sustainability of the economy.
The House also consolidated six bills seeking the repeal of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 to enact the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, 2024.
The bill aims at ensuring prudent management of the nation’s resources, ensuring long-term macro-economic stability of the national economy; and securing greater accountability and transparency in fiscal operations within the medium-term fiscal policy framework.
Abbas, who presided over plenary, urged the Committee on Rules and Business to fix a date for debate on the general principles of the newly consolidated bills.
Recall that the tax reforms are policy recommendations from Taiwo Oyedele’s Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, which seeks to reduce taxes in the country from the current 62 to a maximum of nine.
It also aligns with the recommendations of the President Tinubu Policy Advisory Council, which proposed declaring a state of emergency on revenue generation in the country.
Speaking in an earlier interview, Oyedele noted that fiscal reforms were needed to protect small businesses, the vulnerable and the poor while effectively taxing the rich.
He said, “Revenue transformation for us means we can no longer continue to celebrate incremental progress because the base was just so small and for us, it wasn’t about raising the taxes from existing taxpayers.
“In fact, one of the things we found out is that poor persons are those paying taxes, so it is time for them to take a break which means we have to look at the system to take that burden away from the vulnerable people, small businesses and let the middle class and the rich who can afford to pay do so.
“We have a brand new national fiscal policy that sets the framework for where we want to be, where we want to go, what we want to do, and what we want to stop doing as a country. We have identified company income tax, personal income tax, value-added tax, stamp duty, capital gains, and excise tax and we have redrafted new ones.”
This new law will expunge the revenue collection function from 62 revenue-generating agencies and transfer the responsibility of revenue collection to a single agency to promote collection efficiency.
Some of the agencies include Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Ports Authority, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
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Others are the Bank of Agriculture, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Federal Reporting Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Corporate Affairs Commission, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, National Broadcasting Commission and Joint Admission Matriculation Board.
Commenting on the implications of the new law, a former National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Dr Eugene Nweke, faulted the bill.
He added that customs all over the world were known for revenue collection.
“Customs all over the world are known for revenue collection. What it means is that they would outsource that function to a third party. Customs all over the world are known for revenue collection and anti-smuggling operations,” Nweke said.
According to him, revenue collection had lots of technicalities.
“What they should do with Customs is to train our importers and compel the NCS to go beyond the issues of scanning with a lot of compromises. The government should stop always thinking of how to protect a bill,” he advised.
Also reacting, National Public Relations Officer, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, Taiwo Fatobilola, said, “It is not possible, don’t mind the government. They think revenue collection is what anybody can wake up and start with? Do they know how much it takes to train people on something the NCS have been trained to do? Please don’t mind them, it’s not possible.”
however, National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, said he was not aware of the bill.
“I am not aware of that, I am just hearing it from you,” Maiwada told The PUNCH.
News
Nigerian-born Rwandan Varsity DVC Named Among World’s Top 2% Scientists

A Nigerian academic and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Kigali in Rwanda, Professor Ogechi Adeola, has been named among the world’s top two per cent scientists in the 2025 publication of the Stanford–Elsevier Global Scientist Ranking.
Adeola, who was recognised for her contributions in Business and Management, emerged as the only scholar from the University of Kigali among the 14 Rwandan scientists listed this year.
Announcing the recognition on Wednesday, the University of Kigali wrote on Facebook, “The University of Kigali celebrates the recognition of 14 scientists in Rwanda named among the world’s Top 2% most influential researchers in the prestigious Stanford–Elsevier Global Scientist Ranking (2025 edition).
“We are especially honoured by the inclusion of Prof. Ogechi Adeola, Deputy Vice Chancellor at UoK, for her outstanding contributions in Business and Management, standing out in a list largely dominated by health and medical sciences.”
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In a similar development, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission congratulated another Nigerian, Dr Ayodeji Amobonye Emmanuel, for also being listed among the global top two per cent scientists.
NiDCOM Chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement on Tuesday, described Emmanuel as “a beacon of excellence and a worthy ambassador of Nigeria in the global scientific community.”
The statement partly read, “Amobonye, who specialises in Biotechnology, was listed for his outstanding contributions to scientific research and impact at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa, where he earned his PhD and served as a lecturer and researcher.
“He is currently a Research Fellow at the Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania. This prestigious global list identifies researchers whose publications have” made the highest impact across 22 scientific fields and 174 subfields.
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“His achievement not only elevates the image of Nigeria in the diaspora but also serves as an inspiration to young scientists across the country,” NiDCOM added.
The 2025 edition of the list, developed jointly by Stanford University and Elsevier, is based on data indexed by Scopus up to the end of 2024, highlighting the world’s most-cited scientists across 22 scientific fields and 174 subfields.
By being included in this list, scientists receive global recognition for advancing knowledge and influencing their scientific communities.
291 researchers from Nigerian universities, alongside diaspora Nigerians, were recognised in this year’s list of over 200,000 researchers making strides across global institutions.
This marks an increase from the 233 Nigerian scholars who were similarly recognised in the list released last year.
News
Seven-year-old Nigerian Girl Stuns Crowd, Recites Longest Bible Chapter

Seven-year-old Morolake Adeleye of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Region 39, Ifo Ogun state stunned the congregation when she recited Psalm 119, the longest Bible chapter, by heart, on Saturday.
The young girl’s performance left the congregation in awe, with many describing the moment as a powerful testament to faith, dedication, and the impact of early spiritual training through the longest Bible chapter.
The event took place during the church’s Power Must Change Hands (PMCH) programme at MFM Prayercity, a vibrant Pentecostal church known for its emphasis on prayer, scripture, and spiritual warfare.
Adeleye, a soft-spoken but confident member of the children’s ministry, took to the pulpit under the watchful eyes of her parents, church leaders, and thousands of worshippers.
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Dressed in a grey suit, she stood poised and began reciting the intricate acrostic poem, which is structured around the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and celebrates the beauty and necessity of God’s Word, especially noted in the longest Bible chapter.
Psalm 119, often referred to as an “alphabet of praise,” is renowned for its complexity and depth. Each of its 22 stanzas, corresponding to a Hebrew letter, contains eight verses that weave together themes of devotion, obedience, and reliance on God’s law.
The chapter’s 176 verses explore the psalmist’s struggles, triumphs, and meditations on divine truth, with iconic lines like, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105, NIV).
Biblical scholars note that the chapter’s poetic structure and theological richness make it a challenging text even for seasoned memorisers.
The recitation, which lasted nearly 20 minutes, concluded with a standing ovation from many in the audience.
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Adeleye’s achievement is particularly notable given the cultural and spiritual significance of Psalm 119, the longest Bible chapter.
In Christian and Jewish traditions, the chapter is revered for its focus on God’s character and the transformative power of scripture.
Historically, figures like William Wilberforce, the 19th-century British abolitionist, memorizedmemorised and recited Psalm 119 as a meditative practice.
In Nigeria, where oral tradition and scriptural memorisation are cherished, such displays are celebrated as signs of spiritual maturity, even among the young.
This is not the first time a young Nigerian has garnered attention for reciting Psalm 119. In 2018, a boy named Samuel Adeniyi went viral for a similar performance at the April 2018 Holy Ghost Service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
(NIGERIAN TRIBUNE)
News
Back To School: Lions Club Distributes Educational Materials In Edo Schools

The Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions of the International Association of Lions Club on Friday jointly distributed educational materials to two schools in Benin City as part of the association corporate services to humanity.
The two clubs in District 404-A4 Lions Nigeria, jointly carried out the distribution of notebooks, maths sets, school bags and sandals, pens and other writing materials to excited pupils in Ivbioba Primary School and Oghede-Ivioba Primary School, Ugbighoko, Egor Local Government Area, and Evbiyenava Primary School, in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
Themed, Back to School Project, pupils were also engaged in Reading Action Program (RAP) and Spelling Bee Competition, after which winners were presented with special prizes.
In their remarks, Lions Darlington Uyi and Franca Nikoro, presidents of Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions Clubs stated that the vision of the Lions International is to serve humanity.
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They, therefore, tasked pupils on commitment to their studies in order to attain their fullest potentials in life.
“Emulate Lions in your visions for tomorrow. We have various professionals as members, and if you are committed to your studies, obedient to your parents and teachers, you will attain great heights,” Lion Uyi Darlinton Stated.
“Our vision is to serve, and we are here like we do every period to ensure Literacy is inculcated in pupils to enable them to attain their full potential. It is our earnest desire that you grow into well rounded personalities. Literacy is important in order to actualize that aspiration,” Franca Nikoro stated.
Earlier, in his address, Lion Sir Dede Henry Idemudia, Zone 6A Chairperson, tasked the pupils on good conduct, honour to parents and guardians and obedience to instructions of school authority.
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