BBC NEWS
Nigeria has implemented a new mandatory annual levy for organizations employing expatriate workers, requiring them to pay $15,000 (£12,000) for a director and $10,000 for other employees.
The move is meant to encourage foreign companies to employ more Nigerian workers.
However, staff of diplomatic missions and government officials are exempt from this levy.
President Bola Tinubu emphasized that the levy should not serve as a deterrent to potential investors. He made these remarks while launching the Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL) handbook on Tuesday, stating that the government aims to enhance revenue generation and promote indigenization.
Tinubu explained that the goal of the levy is to bridge the wage disparities between expatriates and the Nigerian labor force, while simultaneously increasing employment opportunities for qualified Nigerians in foreign-owned companies operating in the country.
According to local media reports citing data from the interior ministry, there are over 150,000 expatriates currently working in Nigeria, primarily in sectors such as oil and gas, construction, telecommunications, and hospitality.
