The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has confirmed that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) now automatically serves as the Tax Identification Number (TIN) for individual Nigerians.

The clarification was made on Monday in a public awareness message shared by the Service on X, as part of efforts to explain provisions of the newly enacted tax laws.

FIRS also disclosed that registered businesses will no longer require a separate Tax Identification Number, as their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration number will now function as their official tax identifier under the revised tax framework.

The announcement follows growing public concerns over provisions in the new tax laws that require a Tax ID for certain transactions, including bank account ownership.

According to the Service, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), which comes into effect in January 2026, mandates the use of a Tax ID for specified financial and commercial transactions. However, FIRS stressed that the requirement is not new.

“This requirement has existed since the Finance Act of 2019 and has now been reinforced under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act,” the Service said.
FIRS explained that the Tax ID system consolidates all previously issued tax identification numbers by the Service and State Internal Revenue Services into a single, unified identifier.

“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used. You do not need a physical card, as the Tax ID is a unique number linked directly to your identity,” it stated.

The Service said the reform is aimed at simplifying taxpayer identification, eliminating duplication, curbing tax evasion, and promoting fairness by ensuring that all individuals and entities with taxable income contribute appropriately.

FIRS urged Nigerians to disregard misinformation surrounding the reform, assuring the public that the updated tax framework is designed to improve efficiency, transparency, and trust in tax administration.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally declared all armed groups operating across Nigeria as terrorist organisations, warning that any group involved in kidnapping, attacks on farmers, or the terrorisation of communities will henceforth be treated and prosecuted as terrorists.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the declaration on Monday in Abuja during an end-of-year press conference, stressing that the era of “ambiguous nomenclature” was over.

“Let me be clear,” Idris said. “Henceforth, any armed group that kidnaps our children, attacks our farmers, or terrorises our communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist organisation.”

According to the minister, the move is backed by a new national counterterrorism doctrine introduced in 2025 and anchored on four pillars: unified command, intelligence, community stability, and counterinsurgency.

He explained that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a nationwide security emergency would soon translate into massive recruitment into the Armed Forces and Police, as well as the deployment of trained and well-equipped Forest Guards to secure forests and other vulnerable locations.

Idris also confirmed the release of the remaining 130 pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State, bringing the total number of freed pupils to 230.

“With this development, it can be confirmed that all the abducted pupils have been freed. Not a single pupil is left in captivity due to the efforts of our security agencies,” he said.

The minister said the Federal Government empathised with the parents of the pupils over the trauma of the abduction and wished the families healing, reunion, and a peaceful Christmas season. He added that decisive measures had been taken to ensure such mass abductions never occur again.

Looking ahead to 2026, Idris said the administration’s mission is to build “a secure, competitive, and prosperous Nigeria,” noting that security dominates the 2026 budget with a record allocation of ₦5.41 trillion—the largest single allocation to defence and security in Nigeria’s history.

He said the funding would support modern military equipment, a new national intelligence architecture, and a secure digital border surveillance system.

On economic performance, the minister said 2025 closed with strong indicators across key sectors. Nigeria’s GDP grew by 3.98 percent in the third quarter of 2025, driven largely by the non-oil sector.

Headline inflation declined for eight consecutive months to 14.45 percent in November, while food inflation continued on a downward trend.

External reserves, he added, rose to about $44.56 billion, while Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of ₦6.69 trillion in the third quarter of 2025—up 27.29 percent year-on-year. Business confidence also strengthened, with the Purchasing Managers Index showing 12 consecutive months of expansion.

In the power sector, Idris said Nigeria recorded its highest-ever daily energy output of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours on March 4, 2025. He noted that the year also marked the launch of the Presidential Metering Initiative and the issuance of the first bond under the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme.
Investor confidence, he said, was further reflected in a massively oversubscribed Eurobond issuance, which attracted orders worth 400 percent of the $2.3 billion target.

“The temporary pains of reform are yielding permanent gains,” Idris said. “President Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria is big, his strategy unambiguous, and his resolve unshakeable. We are consolidating stability, protecting our homeland, empowering our youth, and building a nation where every citizen can thrive. Nigeria is truly on the move.”

A Professor of Food Processing and Biochemical Engineering at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Professor Monday Ohwesiri Akusu, has called on the Rivers State Government to support the commercial cultivation of Allanblackia floribunda, popularly known as the tallow tree, as a healthier and cheaper alternative raw material for food processing.

Prof. Akusu said the seeds of Allanblackia can be used to produce zero trans-fat margarine, bakery fat and shortening, thereby reducing the health risks associated with trans-fat consumption, particularly coronary heart diseases.

The don made the call while delivering the 124th Inaugural Lecture of Rivers State University, titled “Food Processing for Healthy Living and Wealth Creation in an Emerging Economy,” last Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
According to him, partially hydrogenated fats—commonly found in spreads, bakery fats, shortening and margarine—have long dominated the food supply chain despite their high trans-fat content, a trend he said must be urgently reversed.

He explained that consumers are increasingly abandoning hydrogenated fats due to health concerns and turning to alternatives such as stearin and olein derived from palm oil, soybean oil and groundnut oil.

However, Prof. Akusu noted that rising costs and scarcity of these raw materials, especially crude palm oil, have made sustained production difficult.
He cited figures showing that in 2021 alone, the Central Bank of Nigeria imported ₦20.28 billion worth of palm oil from China, ₦16.49 billion from Malaysia, and ₦31.43 billion worth of palm olein, also from Malaysia.
He described the figures as “staggering” and unsustainable.

To address this, Prof. Akusu advocated a new approach centred on the utilisation of locally under-exploited crops such as Allanblackia seeds and African pear pulp for the production of heart-friendly, non-hydrogenated bakery fats and margarine.

“Allanblackia floribunda fruits are abundant in Rivers State, especially in Etche Local Government Area, including communities such as Okehi, Igbodo, Ubimini, Oyigbo, Ndoki, Ogbakiri, Elibrada and Rumuewhor,” he said, adding that the tree grows widely in Etche forests.

He disclosed that laboratory trials have successfully produced margarine and bakery fats from Allanblackia seeds, capable of delivering up to 1,000 kilocalories of energy, which supports efficient heart function.

Beyond fats and oils, Prof. Akusu advised Nigerians to consume more coloured fruits and vegetables, noting that they are rich in micronutrients and bioactive compounds that inhibit cancer cell growth. These include watermelon, red apples, purple cabbage, pepper, oranges, shrimps, lobsters, carrots, palm oil and red wine.

He also called for measures to reduce post-harvest losses of pepper by encouraging the commercial production of branded ground pepper and pepper sauce for local and export markets.

Describing pepper as the “king of spices,” he said it contains powerful antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals responsible for cancer.

He noted that although Nigeria produces large quantities of pepper with superior nutritional content, most pepper sauces sold in supermarkets are imported.

“Our research enabled us to stabilise locally produced pepper sauce without separation, using a mathematical solution,” he revealed.

The professor further encouraged young graduates to invest in the machine-shelling of egusi seeds, noting that machine-processed egusi retains the same quality and taste as hand-peeled varieties.

He also recommended the establishment of an integrated plantain processing factory to produce plantain flour for use in composite noodles made with wheat and ginger.

“Nigeria is the 13th largest consumer of foreign noodles in the world. We produced instant noodles from plantain and wheat composite flours spiced with ginger. From plantain peels, we also extracted pectin with excellent gelling properties for making jam and marmalade,” he said.

Prof. Akusu concluded that with the right policy support, food processing innovation could significantly improve public health, reduce import dependence, and create wealth in Nigeria’s emerging economy.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Monday commissioned the state’s first-ever purpose-built Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters, a landmark intervention aimed at strengthening staff welfare and boosting efficiency within the civil service.

The housing estate, located in Elimgbu Community, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, was inaugurated by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, at a ceremony attended by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee, led by the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.

Speaking at the event, Governor Fubara said the project was conceived to improve living conditions, enhance health outcomes and ultimately raise productivity among senior civil servants. He noted that insecurity and uncertainty over basic needs often undermine performance and decision-making, particularly for family men and women in public service.

He stressed that the strategic role of Permanent Secretaries in policy coordination and service delivery makes it imperative for government to provide them with decent accommodation and mobility. According to him, meeting these fundamental needs would enable public officers to discharge their responsibilities with greater focus, commitment and integrity, adding that similar welfare initiatives would, in due course, be extended to other cadres in the service.

The governor urged beneficiaries to protect the facilities and directed the State Head of Service to appoint a facility manager to ensure proper maintenance and sustainability. He added that improved welfare would discourage sharp practices, enhance productivity and contribute to the overall development of Rivers State and the country.

In her remarks, Dr. Walson-Jack described the project as a strategic investment in institutional stability and staff motivation. She commended the quality of the design and amenities, urging the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture with renewed professionalism and dedication to duty.

APC National Secretary, Senator Bashiru, hailed Rivers State as the first fully APC-controlled state in the South-South, calling on residents to support the party’s governance agenda, which he said aligns with national development objectives.

Earlier, the Rivers State Head of Civil Service, Dr. Inyingi Brown, described the project as historic, noting that it was conceptualised, executed and completed within record time under Governor Fubara’s administration. She said the initiative signalled a deliberate shift towards improving service delivery through enhanced staff welfare.

Providing details of the project, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, said the estate consists of 29 housing units—nine detached duplexes and 20 terrace buildings. He added that the facility is equipped with a water treatment plant, central power generators, CCTV and alarm systems, a gymnasium, recreational areas and landscaped green spaces, all designed to promote comfort, performance and productivity.

The Federal Government has declared Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26, 2025, as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day.

The government also declared Thursday, January 1, 2026, for the New Year celebration.

The declaration was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

According to the statement, the minister urged Nigerians to reflect on the values of love, peace, humility and sacrifice associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.

According to the statement, the minister urged Nigerians to reflect on the values of love, peace, humility and sacrifice associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.

Tunji-Ojo also called on citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity, to use the festive season to pray for peace, improved security and national progress.

He further advised Nigerians to remain law-abiding and security-conscious during the celebrations, while wishing them a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has acknowledged that aspects of Nigeria’s newly enacted tax reform laws may have been altered and could require amendments, amid growing calls for the suspension of their implementation.

Oyedele spoke as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several civil society organisations demanded a halt to the rollout of the laws over alleged discrepancies between what the National Assembly passed and what was eventually gazetted.
In an interview on Monday, Oyedele conceded that parts of the versions passed by lawmakers may need to be revisited, stressing however that implementation should proceed based on what the National Assembly approved.

“Even if it is established that there have been substantial alterations to what the National Assembly passed, my view is to identify those provisions which are not part of the law and proceed to implement the law as passed by NASS, while addressing how those issues arose and what to do about them,” he said.

He added that his committee had already identified areas in the passed version requiring technical amendments, particularly around referencing and definitions, which would be forwarded to the President.
Oyedele also addressed the controversy over alleged differences between the bills debated and approved by lawmakers and the versions later gazetted and made public.

A member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki, had earlier raised the alarm, claiming that the gazetted laws did not reflect what legislators voted on, arguing that this amounted to a breach of legislative privilege.

“Before you can claim there is a difference between what was gazetted and what was passed, we must have access to the version that was passed,” Dasuki said, noting that only lawmakers could authoritatively confirm the harmonised bills certified by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President.

Clarifying concerns over Section 41(8), which mandates a 20 per cent deposit, Oyedele said the provision appeared only in a draft gazette and was not included in the final version of the law.

“Some people circulated a report of the committee before the committee had even met. What is out there in the media did not come from the House committee. We should allow the committee to conduct its investigation,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu recently signed the four tax reform bills into law, describing them as the most sweeping overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades. The laws — the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act — are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, under a unified authority, the Nigeria Revenue Service.

The reforms have, however, faced stiff resistance, particularly from some northern lawmakers, who have questioned both their substance and the process leading to their enactment.