Question

Difficulty: Very hardRevenue Allocation System and Principles in Post-Independence Nigeria

Arrange the following historical milestones regarding the modification of the derivation principle in Nigerian revenue allocation in chronological order, from the earliest to the most recent:

  1. 1The Republican Constitution guarantees a 50% derivation return on mineral royalties and regional revenues to the region of origin.
  2. 2Decree No. 6 of 1975 drastically reduces the derivation allocation on onshore oil revenues to 20%, transferring 80% to the Distributable Pool Account.
  3. 3The statutory allocation act under the Second Republic reduces direct derivation allocation for mineral-producing states to 1.5%.
  4. 4Section 162(2) of the Constitution mandates a constitutional minimum of 13% derivation for natural resource-producing states.

Answer

The correct chronological order is: (1) The Republican Constitution 50% derivation provision (1963), (2) Decree No. 6 of 1975 reducing derivation to 20%, (3) The 1981 statutory allocation act setting derivation to 1.5%, and (4) Section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution setting minimum derivation to 13%.
The sequence reflects the historical progression of the derivation principle in Nigeria: starting with high regional retention of 50% in the 1963 Republican Constitution, followed by progressive centralizing reductions under military rule with Decree No. 6 of 1975 (20%), further statutory reduction under the 1981 Revenue Act (1.5%), and finally constitutional restoration to a minimum of 13% under Section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the earliest post-independence revenue arrangement.
The 1963 Republican Constitution maintained the 50% derivation principle established at independence in 1960.
This represents the initial fiscal federalism arrangement in the First Republic.
2
Trace military regime centralization of oil revenue in the 1970s.
Decree No. 6 of 1975 reduced the onshore derivation allocation to 20% and directed the bulk of oil revenue into the central Distributable Pool Account.
Military governance shifted fiscal power to the Federal Centre during the 1970s petroleum boom.
3
Identify Second Republic fiscal legislation in the early 1980s.
Following the Okigbo Commission, the Allocation of Revenue Act of 1981 further reduced direct derivation share to 1.5% for mineral-producing states.
This act prioritized federal and state population shares over derivation.
4
Determine the Fourth Republic constitutional provision.
Section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution instituted a minimum 13% derivation formula for resource-bearing states.
This provided constitutional protection for a higher derivation percentage in post-military democratic Nigeria.

Key Concept

Evolution of the Derivation Principle in Post-Independence Nigerian Fiscal Federalism
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