By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The sum of N6.405 trillion was collected from tax revenue in 2021 in Nigeria by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Business Post reports.
A statement from Johannes Oluwatobi Wojuola, the Special Assistant to the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Mr Muhammad Nami, on Media and Communication on Monday disclosed that this was more than the target set by the agency last year.
The large chunk of the earnings was made possible by some tax-compliant companies, according to the FIRS and they were Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mobil Producing Limited, Star Deep Water Petroleum, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Total E & P Nigeria Limited and Airtel Networks Limited.
Others included Nigeria Petroleum Development Company Limited, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Dangote Cement, Nigeria Breweries Plc, Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd, NIG Agip Oil Co. Ltd, British American Tobacco Marketing, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Stanbic IBC Bank Plc and Lafarge Africa Plc.
In the statement, the tax collecting organisation commended the top-performing taxpayers for their exceptional efforts in contributing to providing the necessary funds for the government to meet its social contract with the Nigerian citizens, despite the harsh economic conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The FIRS is pleased to celebrate the top-performing taxpayers who contributed to her success in 2021,” the release stated. The Service surpassed its tax collection target in 2021, and in doing so, crossed the N6trillion threshold for the first time,” it stated.
The FIRS further said, “To everyone who contributed to FIRS’ success in 2021, we say thank you.
“Of particular importance is the contribution of our much-esteemed taxpayers; they defied the very harsh global economic conditions imposed by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic to produce a heroic performance in tax payment, compliance and support.
“The combined efforts of all taxpayers made it possible for the Service to achieve the tax revenue collection of 2021 which provided our governments with necessary funds to meet their social contracts with the citizens.”
The revenue authority urged taxpayers to join hands with the FIRS to make taxation the pivot of the nation’s development and economic growth.
