FG suspends implementation of Expatriate Employment Levy after ministers, stakeholders’ meeting
Joseph Irikefe
The Federal Government has put on hold the implementation of the newly introduced Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL) intended to address wage gaps between expatriates and Nigerian workers while encouraging skills transfer and the employment of qualified Nigerians in companies that engage the services of expats.
This latest twist in the policy came to light on Friday after a closed-door meeting of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Doris Uzoka-Anite; with the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the organised private sector.
A joint Committee has also been constituted to look at the implications of the EEL on the economy.
Briefing a section of the media on the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment said: “We came with NACCIMA and the organised private sector to meet with the Minister of Interior to get clarity on the EEL and we have had very engaging and fruitful discussion.”
Uzoka-Anite added that at the end of the meeting all parties involved, “agreed to set up a joint committee to look at the implications of the EEL and how to implement it; pending that, the EEL implementation and rollout will be on hold until the stakeholders convene and meet.”
On his part, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said: “This is about stakeholders’ engagement. It’s the first line in terms of the engagement process and we assure you the engagement process will continue and at the end of the day, there will only be one winner, and that will be Nigeria.”
President, NACCIMA, Dele Oye, and Chairman, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Nicolas Odinuwe, who were both present at the stakeholders meeting, hailed the outcome of the meeting, describing it a breakthrough.
Oye, said he was entirely grateful for the government’s current stance on the policy which had received knocks from key industry players and other stakeholders.
In a chat with the media also on the sidelines of the meeting, he said, “our members were impacted by the proposed policy. So we want to use the opportunity to appeal to the industrialists and our various members that they should go on doing their business and that the effect or the likelihood of the proposed policy will be reviewed after we’ve done the stakeholders engagement.”
In a chat with journalists, Odinuwe also said, “It’s been a very fruitful meeting and I’m happy with the outcome and see that collaboration now exists between the two ministers that were involved in it.
“And I would hope that the joint committee being set up will work, quickly to make sure that, all nerves are calmed so that the industry can grow.”