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Arrival of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, at the venue of the commissioning of the newly constructed Airport Road (Bill Clinton Drive) To Tunga Madaki Community

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Residents of Tungan Madaki, a rural community in The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday expressed excitement over the construction of an access road to connect them with other parts of FCT.

The residents and other neighbouring communities said they were excited because it was the first time they would experience the presence of government in their community.

They said that the newly constructed seven-kilometre access road from Airport Road (Bill Clinton Drive) to the community by President Bola Tinubu administration has reconnected farmers and students in the communities to livelihoods.

The District Head of the community, Malam Muhammad Haruna, said on the sideline of the official inauguration of the road, that the development would change their lives for good.

Haruna commended Tinubu and the FCT Minister Nyesom, Mr Wike for bringing governance to their door steps and for taking steps to improve their livelihoods.

He said that for decades, daily life in the community was characterised by isolation, economic stagnation, and inaccessibility to schools.

“We are happy that this narrative has completely changed. The completion of this critical road, linking Bill Clinton Drive directly to the heart of my community has brought widespread relief and celebration among my people.

“This is a turning point in the history of our community after years of administrative neglect by successive governments.

“Prior to this intervention, the community’s agrarian economy was severely bottlenecked by a dilapidated road network and absence of a memorable bridge that cut us from the rest of FCT, especially during the rainy season.

“We have suffered for decades. It has not been easy for us to transport our produce from the farms to the community, let alone to external markets, but today we are joyful that our story has changed,” he said.

The traditional ruler said that with the new infrastructure seamlessly connecting local farms to consumer hubs, transport costs have reduced and farm-to-market logistics also reduced.

He added that post-harvest losses would equally drop, a development that would significantly increase farmers’ earning and in the long run, improve their livelihoods.

He added that beyond the economic impact, the new road would also resolve the severe seasonal education crisis being experienced in the community.

He explained that Tungan Madaki hosts a major senior secondary school meant to serve a wide cluster of neighboring communities.

He however, said that during the rainy season, the collapsed bridge and washed-out terrain made trekking too dangerous, barring students from neighbouring communities from accessing the school.

“The completion of this road project has permanently restored safe and daily access to the school, eliminating seasonal drop-out rates caused by hazardous infrastructure.

However, while celebrating the milestone, the community leadership noted that full empowerment requires addressing a few remaining structural challenges.

To complement their newfound mobility, Haruna appealed to Wike to provide potable drinking water to the communities, which remains a critical missing link for the residents’ health and wellness.

“Also, farming is our only means to feed ourselves, send our children to school, and afford basic living expenses. Therefore, safeguarding local farmlands is the final step to ensuring that the people of Tungan Madaki can fully reap the dividends of democracy,” he said.

The FCT Minister had explained that the project was executed inline with Tinubu’s commitment to connecting rural communities with road infrastructure.

He explained that the access road, which includes a four-span bridge, would connect nine communities and terminate at Zuba Road.

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By Gloria Ikibah

The Federal Government has released comprehensive guidelines to steer taxpayers, revenue authorities and other stakeholders through the transition from Nigeria’s existing tax laws to the newly enacted Tax Acts 2025, which take effect from January 1, 2026.

The guidelines, issued by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie, outlined how tax obligations, assessments, audits, disputes and compliance matters will be managed as the country moves to a new tax framework designed to modernise revenue administration and improve the business environment.

According to the Ministry, the General Guidelines for the Implementation of the Tax Acts 2025 provide clarity on the treatment of tax matters that straddle both the outgoing and incoming legal regimes.

The statement read: “Under the Guidelines, the Tax Acts 2025 comprising the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act apply from the respective commencement dates as enacted in each law.

“In particular, January 1, 2026 for the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025. Tax liabilities, assessments, audits, investigations, disputes and enforcement actions relating to periods before that date will be treated under the repealed tax laws.

“Tax returns relating to accounting periods ending before January 1, 2026, will be filed under the previous tax laws, while returns falling due from January 1, 2026, onward will be administered under the new tax framework.

“The document also covers the treatment of income taxes, transaction taxes, development levies, tax incentives, exemptions, record-keeping obligations and transactions that span both the old and new tax regimes.

“Existing tax incentives and exemptions granted under the repealed laws will remain in place until their expiration dates. New applications and pending requests, however, will be considered under the provisions of the Tax Acts 2025”.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the document provides a framework for managing transitional issues while ensuring that the new laws are not applied retrospectively.

He described the Tax Acts 2025 as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s tax reform programme, noting that the Guidelines set out how existing obligations, ongoing matters and future transactions will be treated under the new regime.

According to the Minister, the Guidelines are anchored on three key principles – clarity, fairness and administrative certainty.

“The Guidelines are intended to promote uniform implementation and support effective administration across the Nigeria Revenue Service, State Internal Revenue Services, the FCT Internal Revenue Service, Local Government Revenue Committees, tax practitioners and taxpayers nationwide.

“The Government reaffirmed its commitment to building a transparent, efficient and modern tax system that supports economic growth, strengthens revenue administration, encourages voluntary compliance and improves Nigeria’s investment climate”, it stated.