By Goodluck Ikiebe in Abuja.
As activities marking the celebration of the first year anniversary of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration continues, the Federal Government has disclosed that it has taken bold steps towards reducing the N7.3 trillion Ways and Means it inherited with the payment of the sum of N4.8 trillion.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the Ministerial Press Briefing on the achievements of his Ministry in the one year administration of the President.
He further revealed that in addition to having paid the N4. 8 trillion, another N2.5 trillion would be paid in the second quarter of 2024
On Debt Servicing Without recourse to Ways and Means, the Minister stared that due to improved fiscal discipline, “The Government has largely financed debt service obligations,including foreign debt service, without resort to Ways and Means Account”.
Such payments, he added, include outstanding commitments/shareholding to multilateral development banks
(MDBs) and international organizations, including over US$200m to Islamic Development Bank.
Wale Edun added that on the National Single Window, the Federal Government launched the NSW, a technology platform for trade facilitation & import administration with the potential of annual economic benefit of US$2.7 billion.
According to him, the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee (PFPTRC) is in the process of tax Harmonization and streamlining of tax collection processes, adding that government has come up with strategies for broadening tax net as well as advanced in the single-digit tax system to reduce the number of taxes in the country,
Briefing on the Oil Revenue Increases, the Minister noted that Oil revenue of N1.1 trillion was achieved in the first quarter of 2024, as against N460 billion in the same period of the preceding year (2023).
Edun maintained that the oil revenue flowed from an impressive increase in oil production, which recorded 1.7mbpd in the first quarter of this year, up from 1.3mbpd in June 2023.
The Minister said that Federal
Government revenues from GOEs also substantially increased (Q1’2024 ₦835.7B vs ₦154.3B Q1’2023).
” The impressive revenue record of the period under consideration was made possible by the introduction of technology-driven strategy systems to automatically deduct revenue due to
FGN.
“Similarly, the FGN has earned more FX income under the new revenue model.
“Specifically, the Nigeria Customs Service recorded unprecedented increases in the first quarter 87% Increase in 2023 revenue mobilization, as well as a 122% revenue increase in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023,” he said.
The Minister also disclosed that the Federal Inland Revenue recorded a 107% achievement of 2023 target and a 56% revenue improvement in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023.
Under the Fiscal Policies & Financial Management, Edun said, “the administration launched the Incentives Monitoring & Evaluation Platform (IMEP) to prevent the misuse of tax incentives by blocking and limiting access to those who do not qualify for the incentives”.
“We also strengthened the implementation of fiscal policies around the Import Duty Tax Incentive to boost key
economic sectors and deliver more sustainable socio-economic impacts,” according to Edun.
He disclosed that the FGN, via the Debt Management Office (“DMO”), raised ₦4.8 trillion from domestic capital markets to repay outstanding obligations to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
According to him, the efforts
works towards bringing the Ways and Means balance within legal limits and progressed to the final approval stages of a $2.25 billion single-digit interest loan from the World Bank for a 40-year-term with 10 years moratorium at 1% interest rate.
On Domestic USD Bond Issuance, the Minister revealed that the President had issued an executive order for local issuance of foreign-denominated securities.
“The issuance of the first domestic foreign currency debt instrument is being processed by the capital market firms in a move that will showcase the resilience of Nigerian capital markets,”the minister said.
He said that these bonds would be mainly marketed to both Nigerian and non-Nigerian investors with foreign exchange balances abroad”, he clarified.
FDIs, MoF, under the leadership of Mr. President, he said, had actively engaged with a broad range of international investors from the Middle East, Europe and India to showcase the reformed economic policies of the FGN.
“It is anticipated that well advanced discussions with investors from the Middle East will yield positive results in the near term”, Edun affirmed.
He said that Infrastructure/Housing Finance Fund (MOFI) is partnering with Government Agencies and the private sector to boost investment in infrastructure, housing,
and to provide 25-year low interest rate mortgages.
He expressed optimism that the anticipated long term funding from institutional investors would be mobilized via capital market finding.
While briefing on Improved Credit Rating, the Minister stated that over the last 12 months, two international credit rating agencies had reviewed Nigeria’s credit rating from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’ outlook.
He explained to the media that the issue of Coordination of Fiscal and Monetary Policies, through the issuance of government debt securities by the DMO at higher interest rates, MoF had supported monetary policy authorities in attracting the inflow of foreign exchange from FPIs; and in stabilizing the exchange rate of the Naira.
New Monetary and Fiscal Coordination Committee was established to boost the efforts government to ensure enhanced fiscal policy of the present administration in the country.
He stated that on Financing of Major Infrastructure Projects,
MoF had provided from internal finances critical initial funding to kick-start major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road.
In a closing remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated that the detailed presentation by Mr Wale Edun, on the state of the Economy in year review had shown the commitment of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration in its avowed determination to ensure the general improvement in the lives of Nigerians and as such deserves our commendation.
He assured that Government woukd continue to formulate and implement policies, initiatives, programmes and projects that would impact positively on the lives of the citizens, in line with its Renewed Hope Agenda.
Our correspondent reports that Wale Edun was accompanied to the occasion by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya and the Permanent Secretary Special Duties, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Okokon Ekanem Udo,Heads of Agencies under his supervision as well as Directors of the Ministry among others.
Edited by Dawud Ahmed.
