A federal high court in Abuja has summoned Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior, and Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), over issues related to the expatriate employment levy (EEL).

The ministers are required to appear before the court on January 16 to justify why the proposed expatriates taxation regime should not be halted.

Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, issued this ruling on Thursday following a motion ex parte presented by Patrick Peter, counsel representing the plaintiff.

Ekwo directed that the minister and the AGF be served with the motion within three days of the order.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CD/1780/2024, was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of New Kosol Welfare Initiative.

The group seeks an order of interim injunction to prevent the defendants from implementing the new expatriates’ taxation regime in Nigeria until the motion is heard and decided.

In the affidavit attached to the suit, Raphael Ezeh, programme implementation coordinator of the group, stated that the EEL taxation policy was announced by the federal government on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

“According to KPMG and other online information analysts and dissemination agencies, the federal government intends to compel all companies and organisations who engage the services of foreign expatriates to pay tax E.E.L. as follows: For every expatriate on the level of a director — Fifteen Thousand United States Dollars ($15,000.00) equivalent to Twenty-Three Million Naira, by the current exchange rates (NW23,000,000.00) per annum,” he said.

“For every expatriate on a non-director level – Ten Thousand United States Dollars ($10,000.00) equivalent to Sixteen Million Naira, by the current exchange rates (N16,000,000.00) per annum.”

Ezeh stated that the federal government has also proposed additional regulations, including penalties and sanctions for non-compliance with the proposed taxation regime.

According to him, inaccurate or incomplete reporting will result in five years imprisonment and/or N1 million.

He explained that failure by a corporate entity to file EEL within 30 days will attract a penalty of N3 million.

Similarly, failure to register an employee within 30 days or the submission of false information will also incur a penalty of N3 million.

Ezeh added that failure to renew the EEL before its expiry date will attract a penalty of N3 million.

“The proposed taxation regime is totally an anti-people policy because of its radical effect on different aspects of the Nigerian economy, and it works like a choke-hold against the economic growth of the nation,” he said.

He emphasized that taxation is a sensitive issue, requiring collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He noted that, under section 59 of the constitution, the executive alone lacks the authority to impose taxes on corporate bodies and citizens.

Ezeh added that the current tax regime is “significantly more favourable to expatriates” compared to the proposed system.

“If the defendants are not restrained by an order of this honourable court, they will commence full implementation of the said programme, thereby threatening the nation’s economic sustainability,” he said.

The matter was adjourned to January 16 for the defendants to appear before the court and show cause.

The federal ministry of interior had suspended the implementation of the EEL in 2024 to allow for further consultations with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and other stakeholders.

A 45-year-old teacher from Christ-Mitots International School, Stella Nwadigbo, has been remanded by a Magistrate Court in Ogba for allegedly assaulting a three-year-old child in the Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Nwadigbo, who was suspended by the school management in response to public outcry, was remanded by the court at Kirikiri Correctional Facility, awaiting the next hearing on February 18, 2025.

The teacher was remanded on Thursday after the Police arraigned her for beating a pupil, “Micheal Abayomi,” who was unable to write the numbers 16 and 61 during school hours.

More to come…

The Oxford English Dictionary has broadened its vocabulary with 20 Nigerian words and expressions in its most recent update.

The newly included entries feature well-known terms such as “japa,” “agbero,” “eba,” “419,” and “abi,” among others.

These words, deeply embedded in the daily lives of Nigerians, underscore the influence of Pidgin English, street slang, and cultural expressions that are progressively gaining international recognition.

Notably, some of these words, like “japa” and “jand,” are listed as both nouns and verbs in the dictionary.

Pronunciation guides have been included to help non-Nigerians pronounce the words accurately.

Kingsley Ugwuanyi, a Nigerian English consultant for the Oxford English Dictionary, shared the update on LinkedIn on Tuesday.

He expressed enthusiasm about his involvement in drafting the words and recording their pronunciations.

Ugwuanyi wrote, “I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Oxford Languages | OUP has officially published its latest updates, featuring an amazing collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.

“This time, I not only drafted most of the words but also had the incredible opportunity to provide their hashtag#pronunciations! So, when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my hashtag#voice bringing these words to life.”

Among the entries, “japa” is defined as “the emigration of Nigerians to other countries (especially those in Europe or North America) in search of further education, employment, or economic opportunity.”

“Agbero” is described as “a person (usually a boy or young man) who works as a tout, typically at car parks and bus stops, collecting money from passengers and drivers, and ushering passengers onto vehicles.”

The term “419,” widely recognized in Nigeria, is defined as “Fraud (now usually perpetrated on the internet) involving requests for advance payment in return for a substantial share of a large amount of money, which ultimately is never given. Frequently as a modifier, as in 419 email, 419 scam, etc. Cf. yahoo n.2.”

Other words added include abi, adire (batik), area boy (lout), cross-carpet, cross-carpeting, eba, Edo, gele (headgear), jand (noun, verb), janded (adjective), Kanuri, Kobo, Naija, suya, Yahoo, Yahoo boy, and Yarn Dust.