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Ikenna Ngere
Guest
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has put forward an amendment to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, No. 23, 2007, aimed at issuing National Identification Numbers (NIN) to foreigners residing in Nigeria.
Naija News reports that this proposal forms part of broader legislation designed to extend the scope of registrable individuals to include non-Nigerians with taxable income or presence in the country.
Additionally, the FEC introduced the Economy Stabilisation Bill, which seeks to impose taxes on foreigners who live and work in Nigeria.
Both pieces of proposed legislation are intended to ensure that foreigners who earn income in the country are registered with the NIN system and taxed accordingly.
The government proposes a new paragraph to Section 16, which reads, “Any person, whether or not he is a citizen of Nigeria, who is deemed to be resident or otherwise subject to tax in Nigeria under any legislation in force in Nigeria.”
If passed, expatriates and other income-earning immigrants would be taxed under the new law.
During a briefing at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, elaborated on the proposed changes.
He noted that if the National Assembly approves the bill, all residents, including foreigners, will be required to register for an NIN, which will serve as their tax identification number.
Onanuga explained that, “If the National Assembly passes that bill, it provides that everybody living in Nigeria, including foreigners, will now be registered and given NIN.
“Once you are doing some work here and earning income, you will be registered and given an NIN so that you can be taxed.
“Your NIN will give you your tax identity, and you can also be taxed and come under our tax structure. The law that set up the NIMC initially precludes foreigners from being registered.”
The presidential aide also introduced a third bill that seeks to amend the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act No. 17, 2007.
The amendment would require that all fees, charges, levies, and fines payable to NIMASA be settled in Naira, instead of foreign currencies like the US dollar.
It amends Section 15 by adding a new subsection (2), which says, “All fees, charges, levies, fines and other monies accruing and payable to the Agency under this Act may be paid in Naira at the applicable official exchange rate.”
“Hitherto, these agencies were charging in dollars, but now they can always collect it in Naira. This government wants to put a lot of emphasis on our national currency instead of everything being dollarised in our economy. The government is now saying, ‘pay in Naira. Everything doesn’t have to be in dollars,’” Onanuga added.
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