FG proposes NIN, tax for foreigners in Nigeria

The Federal Executive Council is seeking an amendment to the National Identity Management Commission Act No. 23, 2007 to give room for foreigners in Nigeria the privilege to have the National Identification Number.

Also, the council proposed the Economy Stabilisation Bill, allowing foreigners living and working in Nigeria to pay tax.

The two proposed legislations are aimed to “expand the scope of persons  who can be registered to include foreign individuals with the taxable presence or taxable source of income in Nigeria, and make provisions for the mandatory use of National Identification Number for transactions which are relevant for tax administration, and for related matters.”

The government has also proposed a new paragraph to Section 16, which reads, “Any person, whether or not he is a citizen of Nigeria, who is deemed to be resident or otherwise is subject to tax in Nigeria under any legislation in force in Nigeria.”

Once passed into law, expatriates and income-earning immigrants would be taxed.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed this during a press briefing at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

According to Onanuga, “If the National Assembly passes that bill, it provides that everybody living in Nigeria, including foreigners, will now be registered and given NIN.

“Once you are doing some work here and earning income, you will be registered and given a NIN so that you can be taxed.

“Your NIN will give you your tax identity, and you can also be taxed and come under our tax structure. The law that set up the NIMC initially precluded foreigners from being registered.”