Business
Taxation and the Nigerian Diaspora
Taxation and the Nigerian Diaspora
For Nigerians in the diaspora, taxation has recently taken on a renewed urgency, shaped by Nigeria’s evolving fiscal reforms and global policy shifts that increasingly touch lives beyond the country’s borders. From London to Atlanta, Toronto to Berlin, conversations among Nigerians abroad are no longer just about exchange rates or remittance channels, but about what the newly introduced tax reforms at home truly mean for them.
Nigeria’s latest tax reforms, scheduled to take effect from January 2026, are among the most ambitious fiscal overhauls in decades. Driven by the need to boost non-oil revenue, the Federal Government has made clear its intention to widen the tax base and improve compliance rather than raise blanket tax rates. According to official data, Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains below 11 per cent, far lower than the African average of about 16 per cent. This gap has pushed policymakers to rethink how revenue is generated, especially in an economy grappling with subsidy removal, currency reforms and rising public debt.
For Nigerians living abroad, the immediate concern was whether these reforms would extend Nigeria’s tax reach to foreign-earned income or remittances. That fear was amplified by online speculation and misinformation. However, the government has repeatedly clarified that foreign income earned by non-resident Nigerians remains exempt from Nigerian taxation. Residency remains the key determinant. Under the revised framework, an individual becomes tax-resident only if they spend 183 days or more in Nigeria within a 12-month period. For the vast majority of Nigerians in the diaspora, this condition does not apply.
Equally important is the clarification on remittances. Nigeria received approximately 20.5 billion dollars in diaspora remittances in 2023, according to World Bank estimates, making it one of the largest recipients globally. These inflows support millions of households and often serve as informal social security. The government has stated unequivocally that personal remittances sent to families are not subject to taxation. This reassurance, publicly restated by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, was crucial in calming fears of an erosion of diaspora support for families and communities back home.
That said, the reforms do affect Nigerians abroad who maintain economic ties with Nigeria. Rental income from properties, dividends from Nigerian companies, business profits and capital gains derived within Nigeria remain taxable. What has changed is the effort to streamline rates and enforcement. Under the new structure, individuals earning up to ₦800,000 annually in Nigeria are exempt from personal income tax, while higher income brackets attract progressive rates of up to 25 per cent. For diaspora investors, this clarity offers both reassurance and responsibility.
Yet taxation for Nigerians abroad is not shaped by Nigeria alone. Developments in host countries also matter. In the United States, for example, proposed legislation to impose an excise tax on outbound remittances has raised concerns among immigrant communities, including Nigerians. While still under debate, such proposals highlight how diaspora Nigerians can face additional financial pressure even when Nigeria itself does not tax remittances. These external policies complicate the already delicate balance between supporting home and meeting obligations abroad.
Beyond the figures and laws lies a deeper emotional dimension. Many Nigerians in the diaspora already shoulder what feels like an unspoken tax through remittances, school fees for relatives, medical bills and community obligations. When new fiscal policies are announced, the question is rarely about refusal to contribute but about trust. Diaspora Nigerians want assurance that taxation is tied to accountability, improved infrastructure and governance reforms that justify continued engagement.
Tax policy also influences long-term decisions. Uncertainty or perceived hostility can discourage diaspora investment, while transparent and predictable systems can attract it. Nigeria’s diaspora population is estimated at over 15 million people, with significant skills, capital and global networks. How taxation is framed and implemented will shape whether this community feels like partners in national development or distant revenue targets.
For second-generation Nigerians born abroad, the issue is even more symbolic. Their connection to Nigeria is often cultural rather than administrative. If engagement with the country is defined largely by obligations without visible benefits, the risk is gradual disengagement. Taxation, therefore, becomes a measure of how Nigeria defines citizenship in a globalised world.
In the end, the newly introduced tax reforms present both reassurance and reflection for Nigerians in the diaspora. They confirm that foreign-earned income and personal remittances remain protected, while reinforcing the principle that income generated in Nigeria carries responsibility. More importantly, they reopen a broader conversation about trust, inclusion and mutual benefit. For Nigerians abroad, tax is no longer just a line in a policy document; it is a mirror of how connected they remain to the country they still call home.
RWE abandons US offshore wind projects in $1.2bn Trump deal
German energy giant RWE has agreed to abandon its offshore wind projects in the United States under a $1.2bn deal with the administration of President Donald Trump, in another major setback for the country’s offshore wind industry.
Under the agreement, RWE will relinquish its offshore wind leases off California and Louisiana, as well as in the New York Bight, an area between New York and New Jersey that has been regarded as one of the most promising locations for offshore wind development in the United States.
The company said there was no foreseeable path to securing permits for the projects under the current regulatory environment.
RWE said it would redirect its investment towards conventional energy projects, including about $900m for a liquefied natural gas export terminal in Louisiana.
The agreement is the latest in a series of deals under the Trump administration aimed at ending or restructuring offshore wind projects in the United States.
The development reflects a dramatic shift in American energy policy since Trump returned to the White House, with the administration placing greater emphasis on oil and gas production while challenging the expansion of renewable energy.
Trump has repeatedly criticised wind energy and has made increased domestic fossil-fuel production a major part of his energy policy.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum welcomed the RWE agreement, saying the administration was pursuing an energy system based on what he described as economic practicality rather than dependence on subsidies.
RWE, however, stressed that the agreement did not represent a withdrawal from the American energy market.
The company plans to invest about €17bn over the next six years to expand its power-generation capacity in the United States.
The latest agreement therefore represents a strategic adjustment rather than a complete retreat from the American market, with RWE shifting its investment towards areas it believes can operate under the current policy environment.
In March 2026, the Department of the Interior reached an agreement with French energy company TotalEnergies that resulted in the termination of its offshore wind projects, with the company redirecting investment towards an LNG facility in Texas and conventional oil activities in the Gulf of Mexico.
The administration also reached a $129m agreement with Duke Energy last month that resulted in the termination of the company’s offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area.
The RWE agreement is therefore part of a broader policy pattern rather than an isolated corporate decision.
The administration has argued that offshore wind projects depend excessively on government support and can impose higher costs on consumers.
Rubio vows US will keep protecting Gulf shipping, says diplomacy with Iran still possible
By Boniface Ihiasota, Washington DC
United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Wednesday said Washington would continue military operations to safeguard international shipping routes from Iranian attacks while insisting that the U.S. remained open to a diplomatic resolution of the crisis.
Rubio, who spoke to journalists in Manila, accused Iran of undermining previous commitments by continuing attacks on commercial vessels transiting a key international waterway.
He said Tehran had failed to uphold an earlier understanding that called for unrestricted maritime navigation, arguing that the latest attacks demonstrated Iran was “not serious” about diplomacy.
“We remain open to diplomacy. We remain open to working it out in a negotiated way. But right now, they don’t seem to be serious about that,” Rubio said.
According to him, the U.S. military would continue targeting sites allegedly used to launch attacks against commercial shipping while protecting vessels passing through the strategic maritime corridor.
“Ships are trying to go through the straits, and they’re getting blown up. The United States is defending that shipping and degrading Iran’s ability to target global shipping,” he said.
Rubio also rejected suggestions that Washington’s objective was to force Iran into submission, arguing instead that the U.S. was determined to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
He claimed Iran had spent decades investing heavily in missiles, drones and proxy groups instead of addressing domestic economic challenges, including soaring inflation and rising food prices.
The U.S. Secretary of State urged more countries to join efforts to secure international shipping lanes, saying many nations depended more heavily on the affected maritime route than the United States.
Although Washington had not made fresh requests during meetings with Asian allies in Manila, Rubio disclosed that previous discussions had explored possible contributions, including naval mine-clearing capabilities.
He maintained that the U.S. would prefer a negotiated settlement but insisted that freedom of navigation could not be compromised.
Rubio also confirmed he would meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the war in Ukraine, saying Washington remained willing to play a constructive role in efforts to end the conflict while pursuing cooperation with Moscow on other strategic issues.
Marketers Import Dangote-Refined Fuel Through Togo Hub
Nigerian fuel marketers are increasingly importing refined petroleum products produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery through an offshore trading hub in Lomé, Togo, in a development that underscores the refinery’s growing influence on fuel supply across West Africa.
The disclosure was made by Matthew Tracey-Cook of S&P Global during a webinar organised by the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria.
The webinar, themed “West Africa Pricing and Flows in the Context of the War,” examined evolving fuel supply chains and pricing trends within the region.
Speaking during the session, Tracey-Cook said refined products from the Dangote Refinery are being exported on a coastal basis to Lomé before being re-imported into Nigeria by fuel marketers.
According to him, the trend reflects the increasingly interconnected relationship between the Lagos-based refinery and the offshore ship-to-ship trading hub in Togo.
He noted that despite Dangote’s growing capacity to supply the domestic market directly, some marketers continue to source products through Lomé, a development that may be linked to pricing differences between local and international markets.
Tracey-Cook, however, stressed that the Togolese hub remains a strategic logistics centre for fuel distribution across West Africa.
According to him, the facility continues to handle significant fuel volumes and remains slightly larger than it was in 2024.
He added that volumes transacted through Lomé surged in certain periods, particularly in November and December 2025, surpassing volumes recorded on several other regional supply routes.
The S&P Global official explained that the hub plays a vital role in regional fuel distribution by receiving large medium-range tankers and transferring cargoes to smaller vessels capable of accessing ports with limited infrastructure.
Caribbean states seek stronger regional aviation safety oversight
Will Africa Follow Niger Republic? By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Ondo Air Crash and the Cost of Losing Those Who Protect Nigeria, by Boniface Ihiasota
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