Business
How States Drew N593.1bn From Fed Acct
The 36 states of the federation have so far withdrawn about 593.1 billion from the Federation Account as revenue generated in the first quarter of 2018.
The breakdown is contained in the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) report obtain by our correspondent, yesterday in Abuja.
The key agencies that remit funds into the federation account are the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigerian Custom Service.
In January, the 36 states of the federation shared N196.99 billion, in February, N195.25 billion and N200.86 billion in March.
The allocation was made using the revenue sharing formular, Federal Government, 52.68 per cent; states, 26.72 per cent and local governments 20.60 per cent.
The report showed that before distribution, state liabilities were deducted.
The liabilities paid by the states in the first quarter, included external debt, contractual obligations and other deductions.
The other deductions covers National Water Rehabilitation Projects, National Agricultural Technology Support, Payment for Fertilizer, State Water Supply Project, State Agriculture Project and National Fadama Project.
To sum it up, here is what each of the 36 states got in the first quarter of 2018, after all deductions were made.
Abia N13.09 billlion, Adamawa N11.82 billion, Akwa Ibom N50.88 billion, Anambra, N13.01 billion, Bauchi, N13.04 billion, Bayelsa, N38.89 billion, Benue, N12.98 billion, Borno, N14.82 billion and Cross River, N8.41 billion.
Delta got N49.43 billion, Ebonyi, N10.73 billion, Edo, N15.86 billion, Ekiti, N8.75 billion, Enugu, N12.27 billion, Gombe, N10.17 billion, Imo, N12.72 billion, Jigawa, N14.2 billion, Kaduna, N16.15 billion and Kano, N19.65 billion.
Similarly, Katsina’s share from the federation account in three months was N13.99 billion, Kebbi, N12.78 billion, Kogi, N12.39 billion, Kwara, N10.62 billion, Lagos, 29.99 billion, Nassarawa, N11.18 billion and Niger, N13.44 billion.
Finally, Ogun state got N9.4 billion, Ondo, N15.27 billion, Osun, N4.98 billion, Oyo, N13.83 billion, Plateau, N10.15 billion, Rivers, N42.74 billion, Sokoto, N12.43 billion, Taraba, N11.1 billion, Yobe, N12.42 billion, and Zamfara, N9.16 billion.
Our correspondent reports that the FAAC comprises commissioners of finance and Accountants-General from the 36 states of the federation.
The Minister of Finance is the chairman of the committee, while the Accountant General of the Federation, seconds, with representatives from the NNPC.
Other members are representatives from the Federal Inland Revenue Service; the Nigerian Custom Service; Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The federation account is currently being managed on a legal framework that allows funds to be shared to the three tiers of government under three major components.
Kolomoni Microfinance Bank has awarded grants to five female entrepreneurs to boost their businesses as part of its commitment to promoting women in business.
The initiative, organized to mark International Women’s Day, was themed “Accelerate Her Growth.”
According to the bank, the decision to support women was inspired by World Bank data, which shows that 41 percent of Nigeria’s micro-businesses are owned by women.
Delivering the keynote address, business strategist, Ebun Akinwale, emphasized that entrepreneurship requires resilience, creativity, and passion.
She illustrated this by recounting her own business challenges and highlighting the critical role passion plays in overcoming obstacles.
The event underscored Kolomoni’s mission to empower women and support small businesses in Nigeria.
Other speakers at the occasion were Odunayo Oyebolu, a seasoned entrepreneur; Victori Ajiboye, a marketing strategist with global experience; and Simi Ojumu, a finance expert.
The beneficiaries said the financial support was a validation of their hard work and a boost of confidence towards scaling through in their businesses.
The winners were selected after sharing their entrepreneurial journeys and presenting business proposals for financial assistance from the bank.
The 8th edition of the Nigeria Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Summit and Awards (Nigeria SMEAwards) is set to take place in Lagos for the first time in its history, marking a significant milestone for this prestigious event.
Endorsed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the annual awards celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit driving Nigeria’s economy.
The visionary convener of NigeriaSMEAwards 2025, Adedayo Olalekan, said, “Governors from Zamfara, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Borno, Enugu, Ekiti, Benue, and Kaduna States have all implemented transformative initiatives that have greatly benefitted local enterprises.
“Their contributions will serve as a beacon of inspiration for the nation.”
Speaking at a recent press conference in Lagos, Olalekan emphasised that the event would introduce a fresh and unique approach, moving away from tradition.
“Despite economic challenges, Nigerians continue to show an unwavering commitment to progress”, he said.
He noted that the awards will not only honor outstanding individuals, but also recognise the critical role state governments play in nurturing vibrant SMEs.
“State governments have been instrumental in fostering a supportive environment for SMEs, which in turn benefits both the awardees and the larger economy.
“With major banks like Providus, Access, and First Banks competing for top honors, the 8th NigeriaSMEAwards promises to be a night of celebration, recognising exceptional contributions to Nigeria’s SME landscape”, Olalekan added.
Amid global challenges such as inflation, geopolitical instability, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Nigerians continue to show remarkable resilience.
Their efforts, according to reports, have contributed to job creation, economic growth, and overall prosperity, with SMEs at the forefront of this success.
This year’s awards will recognise governors who have made significant strides in advancing the SME sector within their states.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) consultants in Rivers State have called on entrepreneurs to be focused and avoid distractions.
The experts, who were speaking on the recent developments about the change of leadership in the state, said entrepreneurs need to put more efforts in their businesses in order to break even in the present situation in Rivers State.
Speaking in a chat with The Tide, an international SMEs consultant, Amb. Larry Goodwill Ajiola, said the political moves is capable of distracting SMEs who are not grounded in their businesses, adding that “the serious minded business men and women would utilise the opportunity to increase their revenues”.
Amb Ajiola, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rumuomasi Co-operative and Credit Society Limited, Port Harcourt, said, “Rugged entrepreneurs look out for business opportunities in situations around them, whether good or bad”.
He reiterated that the loan facility given to 3,000 SMEs in the state revived and expanded businesses, adding that the empowered businesses should continue to push, no matter the situation.
“credit is a powerful tool for achieving financial security.
“We can only keep imagin the economic value that the over 3,000 MSMEs would add to the positive economic dynamics of Rivers State and the Local Government Areas in terms of Gross Domestic Prooduct (GDP), increased tax returns, employment creation, income distribution, and production of goods and services”, he said.
Another SMEs Expert, a business consultant and SMEs trainer, Mr. Chisom Sam-Orji, in his advice, noted that every SME in the state should realize that change is the only constant thing.
He said SMEs should also know that “tough times never last, but tough people do”, adding the need for every entrepreneur to stay focused on creating value and remain resilient.
“This is not the time to be distracted by every noise around your space, but to maximize every time you have to focus on the essentials and keep creating value.
“For some people, it may just be the time to diversify, create new products and services to serve a new or existing market. But this must be based on the facts available to you via research and market surveys”, he said.
The SMEs expert also said the present time in the life of an entrepreneur is a time to cut off unnecessary excesses that surround one’s business.
“Those extra costs that may hamper your growth in this season and beyond, and focus on just essentials.
“SMEs should find certain leverages that are available to aid their business growth. This could be in form of grants, knowledge, and other leverage tools.
“Collaboration is one big way to grow in this season. Finding ways to collaborate with like minds instead of competing could enable a product or service gain advantage in the market and beyond.
“They should also find ways to sustain and grow their customer relationship as this is key to sustaining business flow. They must seek new and efficient ways to serve their customers and gain their loyalty”, he stated.
He further called on every entrepreneur to keep building capacity and never take their eyes off their visions, adding the need to muster every courage it takes to keep building and moving forward.
Lilian Peters