Nigerian government will eliminate multiple taxation in mining sector – Minister

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, has assured miners that the Federal Government would eliminate multiple taxations in the mining sector.

Adegbite gave the assurance on Sunday in Abuja at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that the mines and steel development ministry was working with the National Economic Council and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to ensure that miners were not made to pay multiple taxes.

Observers have been lamenting what they describe as the destructive impact of multiple taxations on the economy of Africa’s most populous nation.

The minister explained that the Federal Government had sole jurisdiction over the mining sector, but that whatever was realised from any state, 13 percent would be paid to the state as derivation as practiced in the oil sector.

“Right now, the money is small because the sector is not so developed so the states are not paying attention that they are getting the money but we call their attention to it.

“Therefore, if we get royalties for gold from Osun State for instance, before it is distributed into the general purse, Osun State will get 13 percent first.

“The same thing applies to the gold we get from Zamfara State, the derivation goes first to that state.

“We are making the governors to be aware that if they support the Federal Government, they will of course, make money in turn and we are getting good cooperation from the governors.”

The Federal Executive Council had, in 2020, authorised the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to directly deduct the federal allocation of any state or local councils found to be imposing illegal taxes on mining activities.

The decision followed a memo by Adegbite, seeking the council’s approval to address major challenges facing the nation’s mining industry.

Suzan O/NAN