By 
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Airtel Networks Limited are among Nigeria’s top-performing taxpayers in the year 2021, according to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to underscore the rising value of the telecommunications sector to the national economy.
RELATED: Nigeria gains N3.5trn as taxes, levies from MTN Nigeria
In the last 12 years, the ICT sector has consistently contributed above 10% of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) and has been a major contributor to the country’s tax purse. The telecoms added 12.45% to Nigeria’s GDP in 2021 with Nigeria accounting for over 80% of Africa telecoms subscribers’ base.
In a press statement released in Abuja this week, the FIRS listed other top -performing taxpayers to include Mobil Producing Limited, Star Deep Water Petroleum, Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Total E & P Nigeria Limited, Nigeria Petroleum Development Company Limited, Nestle Nig. 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.
The Nigeria Liquified Petroleum Gas Company Ltd was recognised as the Most Supportive Taxpayer while the Nigeria National Petroleum Company was listed as the highest taxpayer.
According to the official statement signed by the Executive Chairman, Muhammad Nami, “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 six trillion naira threshold for the first time.”
Namii said that the tax revenue collection of N6.405 trillion in 2021 was made possible by the “astute leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the support of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and the National Assembly too.”
He added: “The feat recorded by the Service was made possible by the uncommon leadership of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria – Muhammadu Buhari, the active support of our supervisory Ministry, the backing of the National Assembly and its leadership as well as the cooperation of all other stakeholders in the tax area.”
