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EU Highlights Social Protection as Key to Combating Poverty in Nigeria

Housing TV Africa News Desk — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 18:53:47 +0000

The European Union on Saturday emphasized that the rising poverty levels in Nigeria can be addressed through robust financing of social protection initiatives.

Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, made this statement at the third edition of the Social Protection Cross-Learning Summit in Abuja.

He stressed that these interventions are essential for supporting the most vulnerable households, offering both a safety net and a beacon of hope.

De Luca highlighted the urgency of reducing poverty nationwide, noting a World Bank report that estimates Nigeria’s poor population at 104 million.

“Investing in social protection is an investment in our collective future, fostering resilience, and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to society, regardless of background or location,” he stated.

The EU is contributing €46 million to Nigeria’s social protection sector from 2021 to 2027, aimed at strengthening systems and developing social safety nets. Partnerships with UNICEF and GIZ are being finalized to implement these projects in selected State.

The summit, themed “Social Protection Towards Human Capital Development,” was organized by the Federal Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Social Protection Development Partner Group.

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EU Criticizes Nigeria’s Low VAT Rate and Lack of Transparency

Housing TV Africa News Desk — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:43:29 +0000

The European Union (EU) has criticized Nigeria’s Value Added Tax (VAT) rate of 7.5 per cent as low and inefficient.

Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation and Delegation of the EU to Nigeria and ECOWAS, made this declaration at the 4th Session of the Steering Committee of the Support Programme for Fiscal Transition in West Africa (PAFT) in Abuja.

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De Luca highlighted the lack of transparency in VAT administration in Nigeria, stating that businesses struggle to recoup the VAT they pay on purchases, making compliance challenging, especially for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He emphasized that the low standard VAT rate hinders revenue generation and called for a robust system to attract investment.

Mr. Andrew Onyenakwe, another speaker at the event, urged for the streamlining of taxes in Nigeria for ease of administration.

The EU also expressed concerns about unpredictable regulations and a lack of transparency in Nigeria, which discourage investors. They highlighted the need to combat tax evasion, including transfer pricing schemes that shift profits overseas to avoid taxation.

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AU, ECOWAS, EU, Others Convene for Dialogue Forum in Abuja

Housing TV Africa News Desk — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 07:46:54 +0000

Today marks the commencement of the Regional Citizen’s Dialogue Programme (RCDP) in Abuja, aimed at preventing and addressing Unconstitutional Changes of Government (UCG) in West Africa.

Representatives from prominent organizations including the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the European Union (EU) are set to attend.

The event, taking place over two days at the Reiz Hotel, will gather participants from civil society groups across West Africa and beyond. Notable attendees include delegates from the AU African Peer-Review Mechanism (APRM), the West African Democracy Solidarity Group (WADEMOS), and the Portuguese Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Martins dos Santos.

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Scheduled alongside the dialogue sessions is a courtesy visit by leaders of the RCDP initiative to the National Assembly. The primary focus of the programme is to finalize and adopt a comprehensive yearly implementation plan for the initial phase, spanning from February to September 2024.

The RCDP is a collaborative effort led by a consortium of civil society and research think tanks, with support from organizations such as the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Nigeria, the Regional Centre for Governance and Security Policy Initiative (RCGSPI) headquartered in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and the Dantiye Centre for Good Leadership and Journalism (DCLJ) in Kano.

The initiative comes in response to mounting concerns over the surge in military coups across West Africa, posing threats to democracy and political stability. The programme seeks to mobilize civil society contributions towards preventing, mitigating, and responding to incidences of UCG in the sub-region.

Dr. Jonathan Sandy, Chairperson of the RCGSPI and AU ECOSOCC Peace and Security Cluster, emphasized the programme’s aim to complement the main recommendations from the African Governance Report 2023, focusing on UCG in Africa, as published by the APRM.

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