Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has announced that a proposed amendment to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Bill, 2024, will require foreigners earning income in Nigeria to pay taxes.
Onanuga made this statement on Wednesday, September 25, during a briefing with State House correspondents in Abuja. He explained that this proposed bill is part of the Economic Stabilization Bills approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday and will soon be sent to the National Assembly for consideration.
“This bill will amend the law that was made some years ago, and it now provides, if the National Assembly passes that bill, that everybody living in Nigeria, foreigners, all of them will now be registered and be given tax identity,” Onanuga said. “Once you are doing some work here and you are earning income, you will be registered and given tax identity and you will be taxed, and you come under our tax structure. The law that was set up initially precluded foreigners from being registered, and so they were not taxed.”
Additionally, Onanuga mentioned another bill related to the operational laws governing the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).
“Now, amendments are also proposed so that all their fees, charges, levies, and fines accruing to them will now be paid in Naira at the applicable exchange rate. Presently those agencies are only charging in dollars, but with the proposed bill, they will now charge in Naira.”
He emphasized: “This government wants to put a lot of emphasis on our national currency. Instead of everything being dollarized in our economy, the government is now saying, pay in Naira.”
