Insight type: Legal Alert

On 21 March 2025, the Court of Appeal (CoA) overturned a decision of the High Court which had been issued on 29 November 2018 and had held that Paragraph 8 of Part II of the First Schedule to the Value Added Tax Act (the VAT Act) exempts the sale of commercial premises from value added tax (VAT).

Foreign employees transferred to Rwanda may continue contributing to their home country’s pension scheme for up to 12 months. During this period, they are exempt from contributing to Rwanda’s pension system. After the 12 month exemption, foreign employees must register with and contribute to the Rwandan pension scheme, in compliance with national regulations.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (the FIRS) on 27 November 2024 issued an information circular publishing the Guidelines on Advance Pricing Agreements (the APA Guidelines or the Guidelines) with an effective date of 1 January 2025. The APA Guidelines aim to guide taxpayers, tax practitioners, and the public on the procedure and conditions for negotiating and executing Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) in Nigeria and the administration of executed APAs.

The gaming sector in Nigeria is undergoing a rapid evolution, marked by contentious sectoral laws and a pressing need for regulatory and legal stability. A significant development was the Supreme Court nullifying the National Lottery Act 2005 in November 2024. The nullification followed a suit filed in 2008 by Lagos state and other states of the Federation, challenging the National Assembly’s powers to legislate on lottery activities. See our publication in respect this ruling here.

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT), under the provisions of section 12(3) of the Microfinance Act, 2018, recently issued the “Guidance Note on Change of Ownership, Lease of Licence, and Closure of Business by Tier 2 Microfinance Service Providers, 2025,” (the Guidance Note) which became effective on 10 January 2025. The Guidance Note introduces new obligations for Microfinance Service Providers (MSPs) intending to change ownership or close business operations. The Guidance Note is designed to ensure MSPs operations are conducted transparently while protecting the interests of customers, employees, shareholders, lenders and other relevant stakeholders, while preserving the integrity and stability of the microfinance sub-sector.

Ghana’s mining sector is governed by a comprehensive taxation framework designed to maximise revenue while fostering a favourable environment for exploration and mining entities.

 

Rwanda has made significant strides in data protection and privacy with the enactment of Law no. 058/2021 of 13 October 2021 Relating to the Protection of Personal Data and Privacy (Data Protection and Privacy Law), which came into force on the 15 October 2021.

The Supreme Court Rules 2024 (the New Rules), though gazetted on 15 August 2024, came into effect on 1 August 2024. The New Rules come almost four (4) decades after the Supreme Court Rules 1985 (the Old Rules). Although the Old Rules were amended twice, in 1999 and 2014, the New Rules appear to have aligned the practice and procedure of the apex Court with the demands of modern-day Nigeria.

On January 14 2025, President William Ruto of Kenya and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, presided over the signing of the Kenya-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (the CEPA). This landmark agreement aims to strengthen trade ties, attract investment, and foster economic cooperation between the two nations.