T ax administration in Nigeria is getting a major overhaul as the federal government launches a single Taxpayer Identification number to replace the fragmented system that has long frustrated individuals and businesses. The Nigeria Revenue Service announced the rollout of the unified Tax ID via its official X account, saying it will serve as the sole identifier for all tax dealings across federal, state and local levels in partnership with the Joint Revenue Board. The move is backed by Sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act of 2025. For years, taxpayers have had to manage different numbers depending on the level of government they were dealing with. The practice led to duplicate paperwork, conflicting records and delays in processing. Under the new system, every taxpayer will now use one number for life for registration, filing returns and making payments. Officials say the change is designed to simplify compliance and cut down on administrative friction. By consoli...

  John Arum Azi speaks after his release. Photo: Champion Newspaper A Jos-based keyboard technician, John Arum Azi, is finally free after spending 11 days in the hands of kidnappers who collected N10.3 million from his family for his release. Azi shared his experience on Sunday after a thanksgiving service at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Jos. According to Champion Newspaper report, he said the kidnappers beat him daily and left him with barely enough food and water throughout his time in captivity. The ordeal started on April 11, 2026, when Azi got a call from an unknown number in Kaduna. The caller said he needed help fixing a keyboard and sounded like it was a small job. After some convincing and a N15,000 payment for transport, Azi agreed to go. He left Jos early that Saturday morning from Farin Gada motor park, expecting to be back the same day. But things changed as soon as he arrived in Kaduna. He was taken from Giwa park to a remote village, where the men he met pulled ou...