General
General Electric in Multi-Million Dollar Tax Deduction Mess
By TheCable
General Electric (GE) withheld tax in excess of $3 million from its payments to Arco Group Plc, a Nigerian oil servicing company, according to documents seen by TheCable.
There is strong evidence backing Arco’s allegation, but GE has told TheCable it would not comment “for confidentiality reasons”.
In one of the documents, Arco claimed that GE deducted 10% as withholding tax for a contract between 2006 and 2015 as against the 5% stipulated by Nigerian laws.
GE, a multinational company operating in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, had engaged Arco for the supply of local personnel.
“Our interpretation of the contract of supply is that the applicable WHT rate should be 5% in line with the Federal Inland Revenue Service Circular No. 2006/02 dated February 2006,” Arco wrote, in a letter addressed to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) seeking clarification on the applicable withholding tax rate to the contract.
“However, the IOC insisted that the rate is 10% in line with the contract for technical services in the same circular under reference. However, section 3.5 of the circular (Lines 8-11) referred to what should be classified as technical services states: the use of industrial machinery/equipment to provide a service does not render it to be technical because industry position requires that only arrangements that involve a transfer of technology, should be classified as technical.”
In a mail dated June 21, 2017, Fasilat Ransome-Kuti of General Electric Corporate, who was subsequently introduced as a senior manager from Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC), advised ARCO Group to seek clarification from the FIRS.
“We request you seek the clarification from the tax policy unit of FIRS in Abuja as only such clarification will suffice and give us comfort,” she wrote.
“Also, we are unable to suspend the remittance of WHT on payment to Arco as this will amount to non-compliance. There is penalty for non-compliance and this will be an additional cost to GE.”
In a letter dated November 2, 2017, and signed by Tunde Fowler, FIRS chairman, he said the only part of the contract that is subject to 10% tax is office rent which is to be deducted by Arco and remitted to FIRS.
Responding to the letter, GE said they had engaged PwC to confirm from FIRS.
It also expressed willingness to liaise with the FIRS on how the excess will be treated in the event the service upholds its position.
“This is based on the fact that the tax has already been deducted and remitted to the FIRS by GE. It is our view that the FIRS should either refund the excess WHT to Arco or apply it as a credit against Arco’s future tax liability,” GE wrote.
In a letter dated March 6, 2018, and signed by Benjamin Omotomiye, its group head of finance and admin, Arco demanded a refund of the funds deducted within the eight-year period.
He wrote: “What we are requesting now, is the refund of 50% of total WHT deducted from Arco’s invoices from the period 2006 to 2015 as earlier communicated to you in our letter dated November 6, 2017, following the FIRS’ clarification as follows:
– €56,577.61 (Fifty-six thousand, five hundred and seventy-seven euros, sixty-one cents)
– $2,923,642.36 (Two million, nine hundred and twenty-three thousand, six hundred and forty-two dollars and thirty-six cents)
– N360,482,041.19 (Three hundred and sixty million, four hundred and eighty-two thousand, forty-one naira and nineteen kobo).”
When TheCable reached out to GE for a reaction, the company refused to comment.
“On the questions raised, we can confirm the existence of a contractual relationship between Arco Group and ourselves,” Obagbemi Olusegun of BHGE Communications Sub-Saharan Africa, said.
“However, due to the confidentiality provisions governing this relationship, we are unable to disclose details of commercial dealings between both parties.
“I trust you understand our position on this.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the federal government to review the fuel import licences recently issued to some marketers, saying the policy is driving up fuel prices, putting pressure on foreign exchange and creating instability in the downstream petroleum sector.
Speaking in Abuja, IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Chinedu Ukadike, said the current import regime has not achieved its goal of making fuel more affordable. Instead, he argued that it has encouraged the importation of more expensive petrol while increasing the country’s dependence on foreign exchange.
According to Mr Ukadike, some importers plan to sell Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, for about N1,350 per litre, which is higher than the ex-depot price offered by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The IPMAN official questioned the need to import fuel at higher prices when locally refined products are available at lower costs, noting that the situation has made it difficult for independent marketers to plan their businesses because import costs continue to fluctuate.
Mr Ukadike also raised concerns about the quality of some imported fuel and called on regulators to ensure that only products that meet Nigeria’s standards are allowed into the country.
The association warned that continued fuel imports also increase demand for the US Dollar since importers pay for products in foreign currency. This, the association said, puts additional pressure on the naira and contributes to higher fuel prices.
The association stressed that Nigeria should focus on supporting local refining to improve energy security and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products.
It noted that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has helped maintain steady fuel supply despite global disruptions, including tensions in the Middle East.
According to IPMAN, greater use of locally refined fuel would reduce FX demand, strengthen the refining industry, create jobs and improve economic stability. It also said producing enough fuel for local consumption while exporting excess output would help Nigeria earn more foreign exchange.
The association called on the federal government, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Presidential Committee on downstream reforms to engage stakeholders and adopt policies that support domestic refining.
IPMAN said strengthening local refining remains the best long-term solution for affordable fuel, stable supply and improved energy security in Nigeria.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has reiterated that the July 31, 2026, deadline for insurance companies to meet the new minimum capital requirements remains firm, warning operators against treating it as a mere formality.
The Commissioner for Insurance of NAICOM, Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, who gave this warning, urged companies that have yet to meet the new minimum capital requirements to act with urgency.
Speaking on Friday at the investiture of Mr Akinjide Oluwarotimi-Orimolade as the 53rd President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) in Lagos, Mr Omosehin said the recapitalisation exercise remained a critical pillar of the Commission’s ongoing reforms aimed at building a stronger, more resilient and consumer-focused insurance industry.
According to him, the new minimum capital requirement is designed to improve insurers’ claims-paying capacity, strengthen their balance sheets, support higher domestic risk retention and prepare the industry for a risk-based capital regime.
“With about 14 days to the July 31 deadline, we commend operators that have made significant progress in raising capital, engaging investors, strengthening governance and submitting for the Commission’s verification process.
“However, the deadline is not symbolic; it is regulatory, and the industry must treat it with the urgency it deserves,” he said.
The Commissioner assured stakeholders that the insurance sector regulator would maintain a transparent, fair and firm process, stressing that every operator must demonstrate financial soundness, regulatory compliance and operational readiness.
He added that stronger capitalisation must ultimately translate into better service delivery, prompt settlement of claims, improved consumer protection and greater public confidence in insurance.
Mr Omosehin noted that the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 has provided a stronger legal framework for a more resilient, better-governed and responsive insurance market, adding that NAICOM’s reform agenda is focused on market conduct, policyholder protection, governance, insurance penetration, financial inclusion and responsible innovation.
He described professionalism as the foundation of a trusted insurance market, saying the industry’s growth depends not only on adequate capital and effective regulation but also on ethics, competence, innovation and public confidence.
“The strength of insurance depends not only on capital and regulation but also on professionalism, ethics, innovation and public confidence. A trusted insurance market cannot be built on capital alone. It requires competent professionals, ethical institutions, credible advice and fair treatment of policyholders,” he stated.
By Bon Peters
About 29,645 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, as well as industrial palm oil, edible palm oil and vegetable oil with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N26 million have been auctioned by the Eastern Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The products were seized by the agency from some smugglers and auctioned on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Oron Outstation of the Command in Akwa Ibom State, in strict compliance with Section 119 of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.
It was gathered that the command auctioned 14,720 litres of petrol and 14,925 litres of industrial palm oil, edible palm oil and vegetable oil, according to a statement issued over the weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by the command’s spokesman, Mr Joshua Iliya, a Deputy Superintendent of Customs.
It was disclosed that the exercise aligned with the service’s statutory mandate to transparently dispose of seized, forfeited, and abandoned goods after all due legal processes have been completed.
The petrol had a DPV of N11.4 million, 14,200 litres of industrial palm oil with a DPV of N14.1 million, 600 litres of edible palm oil with a DPV of N840,000, and 125 litres of vegetable oil with a DPV of N141,000.
Declaring the auction open, the Acting Comptroller of the Eastern Marine Command, Mr Esien Etim Esiet, stated that the items were intercepted during successful anti-smuggling operations within the command’s jurisdiction, adding that the seizures followed direct violations of the NCS Act and other extant laws governing restricted goods.
“This exercise reflects our unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and the prudent management of government assets,” he stated, reiterating that, “Beyond the lawful disposal of goods, this auction serves as a stark reminder that smuggling is an economic crime.”
“It undermines national development, threatens local industries, and deprives the government of critical revenue,” he averred, commending the resilience and professionalism of the command’s officers for securing Nigeria’s maritime borders despite operating in challenging terrains.
The customs officer assured bidders that the process was structured to be fair, open, and legally compliant while offering equal opportunity to all eligible participants.
