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FEC Approves Increase in VAT from 5% to 7.2%

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The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved an increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) payable in Nigeria.

The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, announced the approval while briefing journalists after the FEC meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mrs Ahmed said the VAT was increased from the current 5 per cent to 7.2 per cent.

“We also reported to council and council has agreed that we start the process towards the increase of the VAT rate.

“We are proposing and council has agreed to increase the VAT rate from 5 per cent to 7.2 per cent,” she said.

Mrs Ahmed gave an increase in revenue accruable to state governments as one of the reasons for the increase.

“This is important because the federal government only retains 15 per cent of the VAT, 85 per cent is actually for the states and local government and the states need additional revenue to be able to meet the obligations of the minimum wage.”

The minister, however, said the implementation will not be immediate as there was the need to amend the current law.

 

“This process involves extensive consultations that needs to be made across the country at various levels and also it will involve the review of the VAT Act.

“So, it is not going to be implemented immediately until the Act is reviewed,” she said.

She said the increase in the VAT was also included in the government’s revenue projection for 2020.

“Following these assumptions, the total revenue estimate in the sum of N7.5 trillion for the year 2020 and N2.09 trillion that will be accruing to the federation account and the VAT respectively.

“There will of course be the distribution to the three tiers of government based on the statutorily revenue sharing formula as defined in the constitution and to this effect, it means the federal government will be receiving proposed aggregate of N4.26 trillion from the federal account and the VAT pool, while the states and the local government are expected to receive N3.04 trillion and N2.27 trillion respectively,” she said.

Mrs Ahmed also spoke on the government’s planned expenditure for 2020. She said about N2.45 trillion has been proposed for debt servicing.

“The expenditure for the year 2020 is in the total sum of N10.07 trillion. This is three per cent less than the approved expenditure in the 2019 budget that has been passed into law. The total expenditure includes statutory transfers, non-debt recurrent expenditure such as salaries and pensions and also the Social Intervention Programme.

“The 2020 budget has a debt service estimated at N2.45 trillion and a sinking fund to retire maturing obligations issued to local contractors and other creditors in the sum of N296 billion. So there is a total sum of N3.43 trillion that is provided for personnel and pension cost inclusive of N218 billion for the top 19 government-owned enterprises in the country. This represents an increase of N453 billion over the 2019 approved budgetary expenditure. This also implies a 40 per cent of this recurrent expenditure to the projected revenue.

“The budget deficit is projected at N2.15 trillion in the year 2020 and this is lower than what was approved in the 2019 budget which was N2.47 trillion.

“Let me state that these projections include drawdowns on project tied loans and these represent 1.51 per cent of estimated gross domestic product (GDP). This is well below what is allowed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007 which is still put at 3 per cent.

“I want to add that council approved our presentation and so the next phase for us is to consult with the National Assembly and then the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to the National Assembly for their own view and subsequent approval,” she said.

The 2020 budget proposal is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly when they reconvene from their recess later this month.

Senate President Ahmed Lawan has said the National Assembly would pass the budget before the end of the year if it receives it early from the Executive.

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Zenith Bank Opens Digital, Branch Channels for Dangote Refinery Share Subscription

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Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora seeking to participate in the landmark Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals can subscribe conveniently through Zenith Bank, a receiving bank for the historic transaction and a designated electronic application channel for the offer. Subscription is open through the Zenith Bank website, the Zenith mobile app, internet banking, USSD, corporate internet banking and any Zenith Bank branch nationwide.

Across all of these channels, anchored by Zenith Bank’s network of 456 branches and 84 cash centres, investors enjoy a secure, fast and reliable route into the offer from anywhere in the world, at any hour. Whether the application begins on a phone in London, a laptop in Houston or across the counter of a Zenith banking hall in Lokoja, the path to ownership opens with a few taps and carries the investor smoothly through to completion.

Every subscription is linked to the investor’s Bank Verification Number, a seal of identity and security that accompanies each application from submission to allotment.

It is service the Zenith way: first-time and seasoned investors alike enjoy a straightforward and fully protected process, and the quiet confidence that their stake in history is processed through Zenith Bank.

Applications open on Monday, 14 September 2026 and run for 30 days, closing on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. According to the prospectus, the shares are offered at ₦525 each, with a minimum subscription of 10 shares, or ₦5,250. The offer seeks to raise ₦2.15 trillion, the largest equity offering ever undertaken on the African continent, and the prospectus further provides that retail investors who subscribe and hold their shares may qualify for bonus shares under the Retail Investor Incentive Programme, subject to regulatory approvals.

Zenith Bank stands ready to make participation effortless for investors who choose to take part. Nigeria’s largest bank by Tier-1 capital and the country’s most profitable bank, Zenith has built its reputation on combining scale with innovation, and that strength is now at the service of every investor in this offer. This is proven ground for the bank: Zenith Bank’s own most recent public offering was executed mainly through digital channels, a demonstration of digital readiness built on the bank’s robust digital infrastructure. That infrastructure has since been strengthened further through a comprehensive technological overhaul, positioning Zenith to serve its retail customers with the same excellence long enjoyed by its corporate clients, precisely the capability an offer of this scale demands.

Within the wider transaction, Quantum Zenith Capital & Investments Limited serves among the joint issuing houses, while Zenith Bank itself provides the secure and dependable channels through which applications are received and processed. Having successfully taken its own landmark offer to the market through digital channels, Zenith brings that same tested infrastructure and experience to the largest equity offering in African history. It is the same combination of financial strength, digital excellence and customer devotion that has earned Zenith Bank recognition year after year as one of Africa’s foremost financial institutions, trusted by millions of customers and by the corporates and governments behind the continent’s biggest transactions.

For over three decades, Zenith Bank has been the trusted gateway to Nigeria’s defining financial moments, and its channels are open for this one. Investors who wish to participate can fund their Zenith Bank account and subscribe through any of the bank’s platforms before the offer closes on 13 October 2026.

Please note that the details of the offer are provided in the prospectus and guided by extant regulations. Zenith Bank serves as a Receiving Bank and electronic application channel for this offer. Investors are advised to carefully read the Prospectus and, where appropriate, seek independent professional advice before making any investment decision.

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Ecobank Urges Young Nigerian Creatives to Seize ₦20m InnovateX 2026 Opportunity

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Ecobank Nigeria has called on young Nigerians, particularly students, innovators, entrepreneurs, and creatives aged 16 to 25, to take advantage of the ongoing registration for InnovateX 2026, the Bank’s flagship youth innovation challenge offering ₦20 million in prizes, mentorship, business development support, and access to industry experts.

Powered by Blaze by Ecobank in partnership with Verve, InnovateX 2026 is designed to identify and support the next generation of innovators and creators developing solutions across inclusive finance, as well as the creative economy.

Beyond the financial support, participants will benefit from an intensive innovation journey featuring hybrid bootcamps, expert-led workshops, mentorship sessions, networking opportunities, and a grand finale pitch competition where finalists will showcase their ideas before a panel of industry leaders and investors.

The competition is open to young Nigerians working on innovative projects in technology, engineering, science, product design, content creation, digital media, entertainment, fashion, and other creative disciplines.

Encouraging young Nigerians to register, Victor Yalokwu, Head, Products & Analytics, Ecobank Nigeria, said: “Nigeria is blessed with an abundance of young talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy. Through InnovateX, we are providing a platform for young people to transform bold ideas into impactful solutions and sustainable businesses. We encourage students, innovators, tech enthusiasts, creators, and entrepreneurs across the country to seize this opportunity and take their ambitions to the next level.”

He added: “The future belongs to young people who are willing to innovate, solve problems, and create value. InnovateX is designed to equip participants with the knowledge, mentorship, exposure, and resources they need to succeed in today’s highly competitive and technology-driven world.”

Yalokwu further explained that InnovateX is not just about rewarding great ideas, but also about building confidence, nurturing talent, and connecting young people to opportunities that can help them grow personally and professionally. “Whether you are developing a tech solution, building a creative brand, or working on an innovation that can improve lives, InnovateX provides a valuable platform to showcase your potential and accelerate your journey towards success,” he said.

As part of its commitment to youth empowerment, Ecobank continues to provide innovative banking solutions through the Blaze Account, a youth-focused offering that gives customers access to exclusive opportunities, a uniquely designed debit card, free monthly transfers, and participation in initiatives such as InnovateX.

Young Nigerians interested in participating are encouraged to submit their applications through www.innovatex.africa before the registration deadline.

With ₦20 million up for grabs and a unique opportunity to gain mentorship, skills, exposure, and industry recognition, InnovateX 2026 is poised to become one of Nigeria’s most impactful youth innovation and entrepreneurship programmes.

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Access Sets New Benchmark for Nigeria’s Finance Talent Pipeline

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New data from CFA Society Nigeria is reshaping how the country’s financial sector thinks about talent development, with Access emerging as the single largest source of CFA candidates in Nigeria, a distinction industry watchers say signals a deeper shift in how leading institutions are building investment expertise from within.

In its Where Nigeria’s Finance Professionals Work series, published in a national daily, CFA Society Nigeria placed Access first among employers of CFA candidates nationwide, with 82 candidates enrolled in the programme, more than double the 38 recorded at the next-placed institution and well ahead of every other bank or financial services firm on the list.

Access also ranked second among employers of CFA charterholders, with 11 professionals who have completed all three levels of the Programme and met its experience and ethics requirements.

For an industry that has long measured itself by balance sheet size and branch count, the rankings point to a different kind of competition: one over who is building the deepest bench of certified, globally credentialed talent. CFA Society Nigeria compiled the data from its Salesforce Membership Database as at June 2026, and described the exercise as a way of recognising employers whose people “bring rigour, integrity and global best practices into the workplace every day.”

Analysts following the sector say the outcome is notable less for the ranking itself than for what it suggests about talent strategy across Africa’s financial services industry. A single institution developing more aspiring charterholders than the rest of the market combined raises the floor for professional standards nationally, not just within one balance sheet. Every candidate who advances through the CFA Programme adds to a shared pool of ethics-trained, analytically rigorous professionals that Nigeria’s capital markets, pension funds and asset managers all eventually draw from.

Access Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer, Innocent C. Ike, commenting on the rankings, framed the achievement in terms of institution-building rather than recruitment: “Every candidate on that list represents our commitment to building institutions and professionals that endure.” The remark echoes a broader thesis increasingly voiced by market observers, that talent depth, not scale alone, is what will determine which African financial institutions earn lasting global credibility.

That distinction sits at the centre of Access’s stated ambition to become the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group. If the CFA numbers are any indication, the Group’s route to that goal runs less through square metres of branch network and more through the calibre of the people sitting inside it, a bet that Nigeria’s finance professionals, and the institutions that will one day hire them, are already placing alongside Access.

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