By Charles Ebi 

Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission ,RMAFC, Bimbo Kolade, has said that the leadership of the Federal Inland Revenue Service ,FIRS, saved Nigeria from experiencing a fiscal crisis.

The RMFAC Chair said this on Thursday at the inauguration of the joint technical committee to enhance tax revenue oversight and promote fiscal stability across Nigeria’s federal, state, and local governments.

Kolade explained that the availability of reliable revenue, largely from taxes collected by the FIRS and distributed during the monthly Federation Allocation Account Committee meetings, enables all tiers of government to plan and execute development projects.

He further noted that in 2024, taxes collected by FIRS made up a certain percentage of the total revenue shared among the three tiers of government, underscoring tax revenue as the primary source of income, surpassing earnings from crude oil managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Kolade also praised the FIRS chairman, Zacch Adedeji, for his performance and leadership since assuming office in September 2023.

He said, “If not for the wonderful job our chairman has been doing since September 2023 at the service, Nigerians may have been crying a little more with what we have passed through.

“With your dedication, commitment and stellar performance, we can see that the country has been the better for it. I also want to congratulate Dr Adedeji on the success of the tax reform bills.

We could see the initial misunderstanding that came with the bills, even the little difference between RMAFC and FIRS on the issue of VAT allocation and the rest of them.

“But then, because of the kind of person the FIRS chairman is, he called our chairman, and it was resolved.

“At RMAFC, we have various committees that oversee various parts of government organisations that we need to monitor. One of the federal agencies is FIRS.

“This RMAFC was put in place to monitor tax revenue by ensuring that all taxes, such as Value-Added Tax, Companies Income Tax and the rest are properly collected and remitted into the federation accounts”.

By Dickson Pat 

Nigeria has been formally admitted as a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ,EBRD, marking a significant step towards boosting private sector access to international capital and supporting the country’s long-term economic transformation.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, led a high-level delegation to the EBRD 2025 Annual Meetings in London, where Nigeria’s admission was formalised.

Speaking at the Board of Governors’ Plenary Session, Edun described Nigeria’s membership as a strategic milestone aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“This is a proud day for Nigeria. Our accession to the EBRD marks a critical milestone in our economic reform journey. We are committed to building a transparent, rules-based economy that unlocks private investment and accelerates inclusive growth”, Edun stated.

With over 80% of its financing directed towards the private sector, the EBRD plays a pivotal role in supporting entrepreneurship, SMEs, and large-scale investments across key sectors.

Nigeria’s membership opens new opportunities for local businesses to access development finance and technical expertise across priority areas such as energy transition, infrastructure, agriculture, and digital innovation.

The minister also held high-level bilateral meetings with delegations from France and the United States, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as an active and trusted partner in global economic governance.

Held under the theme “Expanding Horizons, Enduring Strengths”, the 2025 EBRD Annual Meetings brought together leaders from over 70 economies to advance dialogue on inclusive growth, resilience, and sustainable development.

As Nigeria embarks on this new chapter of economic cooperation with the EBRD, the country is poised to leverage the bank’s expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth, create jobs, and improve the lives of its citizens.

With this strategic partnership, Nigeria is set to unlock new opportunities for economic transformation, cementing its position as a key player in global economic governance

By Joel Ajayi 

Director General of the Mining Cadastre Office MCO, Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom has called for stronger collaboration among ECOWAS member states to drive the growth and development of the mining sector across the region.

He made this call yesterday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by technical experts from ECOWAS countries to the Mining Cadastre Office, the visit aimed to observe the real-time operations of the electronic Mining Cadastre Plus ,eMC+, system.

The delegation included representatives from Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Benin, The Gambia, Senegal, and ECOWAS officials.

Director General emphasized that the current Nigerian government is strategically positioning the mining sector to contribute significantly to economic transformation.

 MCO boss noted that the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, is fully aware and supportive of the visit, underscoring the importance of regional synergy for sustainable development not only in Nigeria or West Africa but across the entire African continent.

While highlighting the evolution of the sector, DG  noted that, the establishment of the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office following the enactment of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act in 2007. The system transitioned from rudimentary polygonal mapping to a robust cadastral system.

“The essence of this visit is to promote collaboration among ECOWAS countries”, he said. “Investors looking into West Africa will benefit greatly from a harmonized and transparent system”.

He explained that the Mining Regulations, introduced is providing a solid framework for operations and that the eMC+ web-based platform has significantly improved transparency, efficiency, and revenue generation.

“With this system, applications can be submitted from anywhere in the world. We’ve integrated beneficial ownership data and flagged politically exposed persons. We’re also working closely with financial institutions to strengthen transparency”, he added.

The Director General revealed that revenues have surged since the adoption of the eMC+ system. “What we used to generate annually, we now achieve in a single month”, he stated. “But this is not just about revenue it’s about attracting serious investment and driving regional development”.

He encouraged other ECOWAS countries to embrace similar innovations and expressed the MCO’s willingness to provide guidance and technical support.

In his remarks, the head of the ECOWAS delegation, Mr. Williams Baidoe highlighted that the structure of ECOWAS is built on three key pillars: cooperation, harmonisation, and integration.

He explained that the objective is for member states to first cooperate, then harmonise policies and systems, and ultimately achieve regional integration. “Integration can occur across various dimensions economic, cultural, social, and even within administrative structures like mining Cadastre offices”, he noted.

Mr. Williams thanked the Government of Nigeria for taking a leadership role and affirmed that ECOWAS remains committed to investing in impactful programmes that benefit all member countries.

By Dickson Pat 

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has said it will no longer beg airlines to operate by the rules as provided by Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations.

The NCAA said it has alerted its officers across airports to report ailing airlines and not to chase them to obey laws.

Part 19 of the NCAA Regulation 2023 prescribes minimum rights and responsibilities of passengers and airlines’ obligations to passengers.

This was based on a tweet shared on X on Thursday by the Director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at NCAA, Michael Achimugu.

He said, “Another day to remind airlines operating in Nigeria that failure to comply with the NCAA regulations will attract serious penalties.

“We have instructed NCAA Consumer Protection Officers at the terminals not to chase airlines to do the right thing anymore. Just monitor their operations and report to HQ, and we will take action in line with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.”

Under the new administration, the NCAA has been enforcing consumer rights and protecting them from the abuse of local and international airlines.

In February 2025, Royal Air Maroc, Arik Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Aero Contractors, and Air Peace received a letter of sanction for various violations.

As of that time, the NCAA was “still gathering evidence and monitoring the officials to be able to come down harder on them in view to fine them a record N200m for their chronic infractions of the resolution”.

Based on some of the provisions of Part 19 of the Regulation, “If a consumer cancels a ticket reservation no later than 24 hours after purchasing it, for tickets bought at least seven days before a flight’s scheduled departure date and time, the air carrier shall:

(a) allow such consumer to cancel their reservation and receive a refund, or (b) allow such consumer to reserve the ticket ,place it on hold, for 6 months.

“For domestic flights, when an operating air carrier reasonably expects a flight to be delayed beyond its scheduled time of departure, it shall provide the passengers with reason(s) for the delay within 30 minutes after the scheduled departure time and the assistance specified below: (a) after two hours, refreshments as specified in section

19.10.1.1(a) and telephone calls, SMS and E-mails as specified in section 19.10.1.2;

(b) Beyond three (3) hours, Reimbursement as specified in subSection 19.9.1.1(a); And Re-routing as specified in subsection 19.9.1.1(b)(c); (c) at a time beyond 10:pm till 4:am, or at a time when the airport is closed at the point of departure or final destination, the

assistance specified in sections 19.10.1.1(c)and 19.10.1.1(d) (hotel accommodation and transport); and (d) In the event of a Lengthy delay When the expected time of departure is more than six hours after the time of departure previously announced, compensation as specified in subsection 19.8.1.1(a)”.

By Charles Ebi 

Niger Delta Power Holding Company ,NDPHC, has announced a partnership with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure ,NASENI, and Haier Technologies to deliver a 20-megawatt embedded solar power facility to the Challawa Industrial Area in Kano State.

The initiative was formally set in motion during a high-level site assessment visit led by the Managing Director/CEO of NDPHC, Engr. Jennifer Adighije.

She was accompanied by key executives, including the Executive Director of Generation, Engr. Kassim Abdulahi, Executive Director of Corporate Services, Engr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama.

The team first visited the headquarters of Kano Electricity Distribution Company ,KEDCO, where they held strategic talks with its Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Abu Jimeta.

A statement by the NDPHC’s Head, Corporate Communications and External Relations, Emmanuel Ojor, in Abuja on Friday, stated that both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration for improved electricity access across Kano and its environs.

Also present during the tour were representatives of NASENI and Haier Technologies, who are collaborating with NDPHC to execute the solar power project, which is targeted at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises ,SMEs, and large-scale manufacturers in Challawa.

Adighije, who addressed business owners during the visit, described the exercise as “significant and emotional”, noting the industrial area’s vital contribution to national revenue and employment.

“This is a very important and emotional visit. I recall that on December 7, 2024, the Chairman of our Board and Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, visited Challawa. Before returning to Abuja, he directed NDPHC to provide an alternative power source for the area”, she said.

She acknowledged the delay in implementation but clarified that the period was spent mobilising credible development partners to ensure a cost-effective and sustainable solution.

“We didn’t want to rush in with a quick fix. Instead, I engaged NASENI and Haier to design a viable model that ensures affordable and reliable electricity through solar energy”, she explained.

According to her, the initiative is part of a broader national objective to unlock Kano’s solar potential and transform it into a dependable energy source for local industries.

“I saw businesses with the capacity to create jobs and generate wealth being stifled by inadequate electricity. This should not be the case. Solar power offers us a real chance to change this narrative”, she added.

Adighije said that the project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s industrialisation and poverty-reduction agenda, describing Kano as “symbolic and strategic” to the administration’s economic vision.

She further assured manufacturers that NDPHC remains committed to delivering embedded generation solutions that bypass the traditional grid system to provide dedicated power to industrial hubs.

“Though NDPHC traditionally supplies electricity to the national grid through gas-fired plants, the evolving electricity market now allows us to sell directly to distribution companies, bulk buyers, or registered consumer groups”, she said.

She encouraged manufacturers and industrial associations in Challawa to explore the option of forming registered trading entities to procure electricity directly from NDPHC under the new bilateral trading regime.

“You will find our tariffs highly competitive and more favourable than the current offerings from the distribution companies”, she assured.

…Operating with expired SSL Certificate since May 7,  NITDA keep mum

By Yahaya Umar 

Official website of Nigeria’s presidency, statehouse.gov.ng, has been operating with an expired SSL certificate since May 7, 2025, triggering browser warnings of an insecure connection.

This is despite a significant budget for IT maintenance. The 2025 State House budget includes multiple line items under code 22020404 ,Maintenance of Office/IT Equipment, totalling ₦203.35m across eight allocations: ₦23.656m, ₦2.77m, ₦18.01m, ₦125.89m, ₦7.95m, ₦7.65m, ₦7.98m, and ₦10 m, respectively.

The same State House budget has multiple allocations under unnamed titles for IT running into billions.

While these funds cover IT equipment maintenance, it is unclear how much is allocated to website upkeep, including SSL certificate renewals, which are relatively inexpensive.

IT experts warned that the lack of an SSL certificate could expose users to risks like data interception and compromised security and render the site vulnerable. As of Thursday, the certificate remained unrenewed.

An IT expert explained the importance of SSL certificates. He said it encrypts user connections, ensuring privacy and authenticity.

An expired certificate, therefore, undermines these protections.

The State House’s website has been operating with an expired Certum Domain Validation CA SHA2 SSL certificate. The certificate, issued by Certum ,Unizeto Technologies S.A., provides basic domain-validated encryption.

Findings showed that the cost of a Certum Domain Validation CA SHA2 certificate, also known as the Certum Commercial SSL, varies by provider.

In Nigeria, certum.ng lists the Commercial SSL at approximately ₦30,000 to ₦505,750 annually for a single domain, with issuance typically within minutes due to automated domain validation.

Alternatively, free options like ‘Let’s Encrypt’ could eliminate costs entirely. This raises questions about why the lapse occurred, given the low cost and availability of automation.

This is not the first time this has happened. In April 2024, the statehouse.gov.ng website was reported vulnerable due to the use of an outdated HTTP protocol instead of HTTPS.

Also, in recent years, other federal government websites have faced similar SSL certificate expirations, exposing systemic challenges in maintaining secure digital infrastructure.

For instance, in 2024, reports surfaced about the citizens.cdcu.osgf.gov.ng website, the official website of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit ,CDCU, which was experiencing intermittent SSL issues, though these were resolved after the media reported it.

Similarly, the National Health Insurance Scheme ,NHIS, website, nhis.gov.ng, faced criticism in the same year for an expired certificate, which lasted four months.

These recurring issues suggest a lack of automated certificate management or oversight within government IT systems.

The National Information Technology Development Agency ,NITDA, responsible for overseeing .gov.ng domain registrations, has not commented on the expired certificate. Calls to the agency’s public relations officer, Hadiza Umar, rang out without response.

Also, a text message sent to her was not replied to as of the time of publication of this report.

Despite NITDA’s mandate for robust security, including SSL certification, enforcement appears inconsistent.

Experts recommend adopting automated certificate management systems, like Sectigo Certificate Manager or Cloudflare’s Universal SSL, to prevent such lapses.

Globally, similar issues have occurred. In 2019, over 80 U.S. government websites, including those of NASA and the Department of Justice, faced expired SSL certificates during a federal shutdown, rendering them insecure or inaccessible, according to reports by Netcraft and TechCrunch.