The Federal Inland Revenue Service would soon go after multinational companies, corporate organisations and individuals who are evading payment of taxes in the country.
Executive Chairman, FIRS, Dr. Babatunde Fowler
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The move, according to Sunday Punch’s investigations, is part of a renewed effort by the agency to boost tax revenue to fund the programmes of the Federal Government.
Statistics obtained from the service revealed that out of the 450,000 companies in Nigeria, only 125,000, representing 27.7 per cent, pay any form of taxes.
Going by this figure, it implies that about 325,000 companies are evading tax, thus denying the government huge revenue annually.
In the 2015 fiscal year, the FIRS was given a revenue generation target of N4.5tn by the Federal Government and it has so far generated N2.667tn.
But between January and July, findings by SUNDAY PUNCH showed that the service had collected a total sum of N2.374tn against the target of N2.667trn, thus having a revenue shorfall of N290bn within the seven-month period.
The past Chairman of the FIRS, Mr. Sunday Ogungbesan, had said the service was finding it difficult to track the financial activities of those who did not pay taxes, as most of the evaders were no longer active.
But the Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, in his first official meeting with the management staff of the service, was said to have vowed to ensure that all tax revenue due to the government would be recovered from all tax payers.
Fowler said his administration would not take the issue of tax evasion lightly, as he was aware that some foreign companies that were operating in Nigeria were being investigated in England for evading taxes.
He said, “No country can succeed without taxation. We will make sure that we cover all ground, especially on the corporate level; all tax payers within each state will be covered.
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ReplyDeleteAfter recovery what will be done with the money? That's my only concern. Cos LIRS would be taxing us yet they can't finish Lekki Road! Namsense!
DeleteStart from globacom
DeleteI'm very much in support of dis. Most Indians and Labanese coys in NG hide like five Coys under one for eg IDF near SMS bridge.D are d sole distributor of BAT products and d have FCMG products and others with diff managers and etc.The are answer diff names such as GREAT BRAND,INTER DISTRiBUTION.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteEven the one they use as the name of the company no dey pay tax. They bribe their way through
Ok.
ReplyDeleteGood morning all and happy sunday.
Morning my CRS sister!
DeleteGood for them .
ReplyDeleteI hope the new Chairman has addressed his certificate forging allegations.
We can afford to have people with questionable characters as the head of such an agency.
*can't
DeleteOkay
ReplyDeleteI trust Mr Fowler.he will ger the job DONE
ReplyDeleteThis is good.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently writing a project on tax evasion...please anyone with materials nd ideas should kindly mail at abrildear@gmail.com
ReplyDelete