Headlines
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.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
Ibrahim Khalil
Government Secondary School (GSS) Army Day Bukavu has emerged champion in both the male and female categories of the maiden Kano State Secondary Schools Tug of War Competition.
KANO FOCUS reports that the school clinched the double victory at the competition, which ended on Wednesday at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari, Kano.
Governors College finished as runners-up in the male category, while Government Girls College (GGC) Kano secured second position in the female category.
The competition was organised by the Kano State Tug of War Association in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Kano State Sports Commission.
The maiden championship brought together secondary school students to promote teamwork, discipline, unity and sportsmanship, while raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Jamilu Uba Adamu, described the competition as a successful initiative that had achieved its objectives.
He commended the Ministry of Education, Sports Commission, NDLEA, Gongoni Company Limited and MAGZO Pharmaceutical for supporting the event, particularly through the provision of T-shirts and Pocari Sweat drinks.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Bashir Muhammad Sulaiman, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to developing grassroots and school sports.
He said the initiative would help identify and nurture young sporting talents across the state.
The closing ceremony was attended by a member of the Kano State Football Association Board, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa Garu, representatives of the Ministry of Education, NDLEA, the Sports Commission and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
The organisers congratulated the winning schools and commended all participating institutions and partners for contributing to the success of the maiden edition.
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