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ASUU strike: How companies can fund universities with taxable profit – FRIS
Nasiru Yusuf
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said Nigeria’s company income tax law has allowed corporate organisations to donate up to 20% of their taxable income to universities.
KANO FOCUS reports that the legal officer in the legal department of FIRS, Barr. Thihwi Dauda revealed this while making a presentation titled, ” CSOs and Profit-making; legal perspective”, at the three-day National Conference on Civil Society Regulatory Environment in Nigeria organised by the EU-ACT project in Nigeria.
Dauda pointed out that if these provisions of the tax laws were exploited by our universities, the incessant strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU would have been addressed.
Cross section of participants
“There is provision for donations to the Universities; Section 25a and 26 of the Company Income Tax makes a provision that a company can make a donation to the University up to 20% of its total cost and that donation will be removed as an allowable expenses in the company book.
“If all these blue chip companies are making donations to the Universities under that section, I think most of the infrastructure the Universities need today will be there and it will reduce the incessant strike by ASUU,” Mr Dauda said.
The tax official urged Civil Society Organisations to exploit the provisions of the nation’s company income tax laws to solicit funds from companies to finance their not for profit operations.
According to him “Donations made to CSOs by companies are allowable expenses under the companies income tax.
Cross section of diginatries
“Section 23, sub-section 1c made a provision that when a company make donation to CSOs which is not more than 10% of its profit, such donation is an allowable deduction in the financial book of that company. So the company will not suffer for making such donation.”
He noted that although operations of CSOs are exempted from tax, profit made from businesses undertaken by subsidiaries of CSOs such as schools, hospitals and other social enterprises are taxable by law.
“Under the provisions of the law profits generated by CSOs through legitimate business cannot be shared by the promoters of the organisation, but spend in the realisation of its objectives,” Mr Dauda said.
Cross section of participants
The three-day conference began Tuesday in Abuja with the support of the European delegation to Nigeria, ECOWAS and the Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) programme.
Attendees included representatives of civil society groups, government (regulatory agencies, legislators, etc), development partners, donor community, private sector, opinion leaders and other interest groups.
The participants at the conference recommended that the government should provide incentives for companies operating in Nigeria to make donations to the nonprofit sector and such donations can be deducted from the company’s tax liability as stipulated by the Company Income Tax Regulation.
They also urged regulators to ensure CSOs have access to needed information on existing guidelines and obligations of the non-profit sector to ensure total compliance with such regulations.
Cross section of participants
“It is imperative for the regulators to constantly engage the CSOs to provide updates and provide needed assistance in compliance with the regulations including complying with the rules of the Financial Reporting Council,” participants said.
They said CSOs in Nigeria are currently burdened with multiple regulatory laws and some of such laws have very insidious provisions that tend to stifle the CSOs’ operational environment.
A cross-section of panellists conceded that “CSOs in Nigeria have always been regulated, but recently introduced regulations such as CAMA and the proposed NGO regulation bill have provisions that cast doubt on the intentions of the government.
“These kinds of regulations are what continue to put both regulatory agencies and civil society actors at loggerheads,” they said.
The 3-day National Conference on Civil Society Regulatory Environment in Nigeria brings together various actors from the civil society sector, and government including regulatory agencies and legislators, as well as donors and other stakeholders, to discuss pertinent issues that affect the effectiveness and impact of the civil society sector from the point of view of enabling a conducive regulatory environment for CSO operations in the country.
The broad objective of the conference is to create an opportunity for stakeholders to synergize efforts at improving the CSO regulatory environment.
The Conference is aimed at generating shared understanding and collective perspectives by stakeholders on appropriate instruments of regulation and effective processes to regulate CSOs operation in Nigeria as well as increasing broad public awareness about the roles of CSOs and the need for an enabling regulatory environment to protect the sector from repressive legislation.
This convergence is the first of its kind to provide a neutral platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue and ensure that all relevant opinions from all concerned groups are holistically collected.
It is therefore hoped that the conference will result in the development of comprehensive recommendations arising from the resolutions reached and agree on modalities for implementing the recommendations.
The Conference was supported with funding from the European Union delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS and the Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) Programme which is implemented by the British Council.
Aminu Abdullahi
The adolescent girls initiative for learning and empowerment AGILE has been described as a major catalyst to educational development.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Emir of Rano, Alhaji Muhammad Isa Umaru, made the indication while receiving AGILE team in his palace.
According to him, Kano has witnessed significant progress in girl child education facilitated by AGILE, hence the need for traditional institutions and relevant stakeholders to contribute their quota to achieve the desired objectives.
He noted that, Rano Emirate has been at the forefront of ensuring enrollment retention and completion of girls education through various initiatives.
The emir called on the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) to upgrade the girls school in his community.
The monarch said, the school, located beside the palace, requires expansion to accommodate a larger number of students.
The traditional ruler suggested that AGILE should visit the school to assess its condition, saying that, relocating the school to a bigger location had been earlier considered.
In his remarks the permanent secretary Kano state ministry of education Alhaji Bashir Baffa explained that, they were at the palace to seek for support and blessings form the royal father.
He said, AGILE has fostered an enabling environment for girls through promoting behavioral changes through communication campaigns engagement with traditional rulers and advocacy.
He maintained that, the team has embarked on advocacy visits to all relevant stakeholders at community and state levels on the importance of girls education.
Alhaji Baffa hinted that the state government had declared a state of emergency on education, hence the need for the traditional institution to contribute its quota to achieve the desired objectives.
He posited that, the team will visit the school to see possible ways of intervening for the development of education.
The permanent secretary also used the opportunity to condole Rano emirate over the killing of its indigenes in Uromi.
KANO FOCUS reports that, earlier the team has paid a similar visit to Karaye Emirate council as part of efforts to advocate for support from the traditional institution and relevant stakeholders.
Aminu Abdullahi Ibrahim
The Kano State Ministry of Education’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, supported by the World Bank, has successfully renovated over 1,300 senior and junior secondary schools in the state in the last three years.
KANO FOCUS reports that the state commissioner for education, Alhaji Ali Haruna Makoda, disclosed this during a visit to the Karaye Emirate on Tuesday.
He added that the AGILE program has enrolled more than 30,000 girls through targeted outreach, grants, and its Second Chance education initiative.
Makoda further revealed that the state government has finalized plan to construct 130 new schools in rural communities, with over 35,000 girls already benefiting from financial assistance under the scheme.
He urged the Karaye Emirate to lend full support to the program and prioritize girls’ education.
In his remarks, the Emir of Karaye, Alhaji Muhammad Maharaz, pledged the emirate’s commitment to advancing girls’ education in Kano State.
He commended the state government and the commissioner for their dedication to the programme’s success.
“It is our collective responsibility to support this initiative,” the Emir stated, calling for measures to ensure beneficiaries complete their education with strong academic outcomes.
The commissioner’s delegation consist of the Kano State AGILE Project Coordinator, Malam Mujitapha Aminu and other members of State Programme Implementation Unit (SPIU).
Aminu Abdullahi Ibrahim
Bayero University Kano (BUK) on Monday celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Faculty of Education and inaugurated its Alumni Association at the Convocation Arena of the university’s new campus.
KANO FOCUS reports that the event was graced by government officials, education stakeholders, and alumni all gathered to commemorate the faculty’s contributions to Nigeria’s educational sector.
In her keynote address, the State Minister for Education, Mrs. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad announced the Federal Government’s Sector Renewal Initiative designed to transition Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.
She highlighted that the aim of the renewal initiative consists of – Reducing the number of out-of-school children; combating learning poverty; nhancing skills development and human capital for the labor market
The minister noted that the initiative prioritizes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Digital literacy and education quality assurance.
Mrs. Ahmad disclosed that the Federal Government had disbursed ₦35 billion to 261 beneficiaries under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), with BUK among the top beneficiaries.
“So far, the scheme has received 420 applications, and we are scaling up investments,” she stated.
She further confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved ₦120 billion to boost TVET programs, with plans to train 650 youths in technical, vocational, and digital skills over the next two years.
Emeritus Professor Sani Ahmad Sufi, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, praised the faculty for its high-quality graduates.
“Our pride lies not just in the number of graduates produced yearly, but in their impact across Nigeria and beyond,” he said.
He added that the faculty has produced Nigeria’s largest pool of graduate teachers many of whom hold key positions nationally and internationally.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje applauded the faculty for its significant role in advancing education in Nigeria.
The event concluded with awards presented to distinguished alumni and supporters of the faculty in recognition of their contributions to its growth.
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