Business
FIRS Floors MTN In Tax Dispute Involving Over $72.5m
The Lagos State Division of the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) has ordered MTN Nigeria Communications (MTNN) to pay the sum of $72, 551, 059, being tax default to the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS).
The fine covers for 2007 to 2017, The Punch reports.
However, the Tribunal absolved the telecommunication firm from paying the sum of $21,039,807, as penalties and interest on the principal sum.
A five-man panel led by Professor A. B. Hamed, gave the verdict and order on Friday, while delivering judgment in an appeal numbered TAT/LZ/VAT/075, filed by the telecommunication company against the request by the FIRS to pay the default.
Other members of the panel were P. A. Olayemi, Babatunde Sobamowo, Samuel N. Ohwerhoye and Terzungwe Gbakighir.
The facts of the matter according to the processes filed before the appeal, was that sometime in May 10, 2018, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation issued a report of its investigation into the MTN’s Forms A and M transactions. The report covered the 2007 to 2017 accounting years.
But, in a revised report dated August 20, 2018, the OAGF adjusted the alleged outstanding in respect of import duty and VAT to the tune of N242.2 bn, (Form M -visible transactions) whilst the section relating to VAT and Withholding tax (WHT) was revised $1.284 bn (Form A invisible transactions).
The processes also stated that sometime in mid-2020, the FIRS informed MTN that it had received a report from the OAGF in respect of its alleged liability to VAT and WHT.
FIRS consequently conducted a review of MTN’s tax and accounting records and upheld the OAGF’s alleged tax liability.
However, MTN and its tax consultant, KPMG Advisory Services, held a series of meetings with FIRS to resolve the tax dispute arising from MTN’s alleged tax liability.
Thereafter, in July 2021, the FIRS issued a VAT assessment of $93, 590, 366m to the MTN. This assessment comprised the sum of $72, 551, 059m, as the principal liability and $21,039,807m, for penalties and interest on the principal sum (first assessment).
MTN objected to the first assessment whereupon the FIRS further reviewed the assessment. Accordingly, by the Notice of Assessment dated April 14, 2022, the Respondent issued a revised assessment for US $135,697,755m to MTN as a revised assessment.
Although the principal amount of tax alleged to be outstanding and due from the Appellant (principal tax liability) in the revised assessment, i.e. $47, 776, 210m, was less than the alleged principal tax liability contained in the first assessment, i.e., $72,551,059m, the interest and penalty imposed by the FIRS on the alleged principal tax liability in the revised assessment, i.e. $87.900m, is higher than the interest and penalty imposed by the FIRS on the alleged principal tax liability in the first assessment, i.e., US $21, 039,807m.
Also MTN by a letter of notice of objection dated May 13, 2022, objected to the FIRS’s revised assessment, and FIRS by a letter dated June 16, with ref. no. FIRS/TID/LOS/2020/0213/01, notified the MTN of its refusal to amend the revised assessment.
Dissatisfied with the FIRS’s amended revised assessment, MTN filed the Appeal before the Tax Appeal Tribunal.
Upon reviewing all the processes filed by the parties, the tribunal distilled five issues for determination, which were; “Whether in view of the clear and unequivocal provisions of the VAT Act prior to the amendment by the Finance Acts, the provision of software licensing and upgrades qualified as a taxable supply of goods and services.
“Whether the provision/lease of bandwidth capacities by Intelsat Global Services & Marketing Ltd, a non-resident entity, through transponders located in the satellite, qualifies as a taxable supply of goods and services.
“Whether in the absence of the production of any false or untrue document or statement by the Appellant, the Respondent has authority to conduct a tax investigation beyond the 5-year restriction.
“Whether training provided by offshore facilitators outside of Nigeria is liable to VAT in Nigeria.
“Whether the Respondent acted in error when it calculated and imposed interest and penalty on the Appellant’s alleged non-remittance of VAT liabilities, the said liabilities having not become final and conclusive.”
While counsel to MTN urged the tribunal to determine the issues in its favour, FIRS counsel, who includes: Abu Ocheme Director Legal FIRS, Egodi Adedeji and Moses Ideho, urged the court to dismiss the MTN’s appeal, and determine the issues raised in FIRS’s favour.
The tribunal, after taking arguments on the parties, resolved issues one to four in favour of the FIRS, and issue five was resolved in favour of MTN.
The tribunal after perusing all the processes filed by parties, and citing a plethora of authorities held that: “In the final analysis, it is the decision of the Tribunal that issues one to four discussed above are all resolved in favour of the Respondent and the appellant is therefore ordered to settle the assessed liabilities accordingly.
“However, issue five in relation to penalty and interest is resolved in favour of the Appellant and is therefore set aside by this Honourable Tribunal. This is our Judgement.”
Leading investment research firm Renaissance Capital Africa (RCA) has upgraded its valuation of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) to N700.41 per share, implying a 33.4 percent upside from the refinery’s IPO offer price of N525 per share.
According to RCA, the valuation increase reflects the refinery’s exceptional earnings performance in the first nine months of 2026, driven by stronger refining margins and better-than-anticipated operational results. Revenue, EBITDA and net profit all exceeded the firm’s expectations during the period.
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In its October 16, 2026, update, titled “Stronger Refining Margins Drive Earnings Outperformance,” the investment firm cited robust refining margins and stronger operating results as key drivers of the enhanced valuation.
The remarkable investor interest comes against the backdrop of the refinery’s strong operational and financial performance. For the nine months ended September 30, 2026, the DPRP reported revenue of US22.5 billion and net profit of US4.7 billion, representing one of the strongest financial performances recorded by an African industrial enterprise in recent years.
The results marked a significant turnaround from the corresponding period in 2025, when the company recorded a loss of US117.2 million. Revenue grew by 144 percent from US9.2 billion, while EBITDA increased nearly nine-fold to US5.5billionfromUS627.6 million. Operating cash flow rose more than ten-fold to US$3.68 billion, underscoring the refinery’s growing ability to generate substantial earnings and cash flow from its operations.
The company also strengthened its balance sheet considerably, moving from a net debt position of US1.73 billion as of September 2025 to a net cash position of US651 million by September 2026, reflecting improved liquidity and financial resilience.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals (DPDP) has revealed that its ongoing Initial Public Offering (IPO) has attracted exceptional participation from investors across Africa and around the world, with subscriptions received from more than 90 countries, including investors from 51 of Africa’s 54 nations.
The unprecedented level of participation positions the transaction as Africa’s first truly pan-African public offering, reflecting strong investor confidence in African-led industrialization and a growing desire among Africans to own strategic assets built on the continent.
The company noted that the IPO has already set new benchmarks in the capital markets, breaking the Nigerian market record on its opening day and surpassing the previous African record within its first ten days, driven by robust demand from retail investors, pension funds, institutional investors, asset managers, and members of the investing public.
On the milestone, Chief Financial Officer of Dangote Group, Murat Erden, said: “This offering represents far more than a capital-raising exercise. It is a landmark opportunity for Africans and global investors alike to participate in the ownership of one of the continent’s most transformative industrial assets. The extraordinary participation from individuals and institutions across Africa demonstrates a shared conviction that Africans should not only benefit from industrial development but also own and create wealth from it.”
The remarkable investor interest comes against the backdrop of the refinery’s strong operational and financial performance. For the nine months ended September 30, 2026, the DPRP reported revenue of US22.5billion and net profit of US4.7 billion, representing one of the strongest financial performances recorded by an African industrial enterprise in recent years.
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The results marked a significant turnaround from the corresponding period in 2025, when the company recorded a loss of US117.2 million. Revenue grew by 144 percent from US9.2 billion, while EBITDA increased nearly nine-fold to US5.5 billion from US627.6 million. Operating cash flow rose more than ten-fold to US$3.68 billion, underscoring the refinery’s growing ability to generate substantial earnings and cash flow from its operations.
The company also strengthened its balance sheet considerably, moving from a net debt position of US1.73 billion as of September 2025 to a net cash position of US651 million by September 2026, reflecting improved liquidity and financial resilience.
According to Erden, the refinery’s current performance significantly exceeds the assumptions underpinning the IPO valuation. “Our financial performance has already advanced well beyond the baseline assumptions used in determining the IPO valuation. The refinery’s operational momentum, scale and efficiency continue to create substantial shareholder value and reinforce our confidence in its long-term growth prospects.”
In a major boost to African capital-market integration, the transaction has also benefited from pioneering cross-border market collaborations involving Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya, helping to broaden access and reduce barriers to participation for investors across the continent.
The DPDP described the IPO as a powerful demonstration of the increasing sophistication, depth and interconnectedness of African financial markets, providing a blueprint for future continent-wide investment offerings.
The company reiterated that the IPO provides a unique opportunity for investors to become shareholders in one of Africa’s largest and fastest-growing industrial enterprises, with the potential for USD-linked dividends, subject to the company’s dividend policy and applicable regulatory approvals.
With the offer scheduled to close on 27 October 2026, the company has intensified investor education and engagement activities across key markets to ensure broader inclusion and participation. The refinery emphasized that no further extension of the offer period is currently planned.
On the significance of the transaction, Erden added: “We are witnessing the emergence of a new chapter in African industrial ownership and capital-market development. The overwhelming response from investors across 51 African countries and more than 90 countries globally is a resounding vote of confidence in Africa’s future and in the ability of world-class African enterprises to deliver sustainable value for shareholders.”
The company expressed appreciation to regulators, stockbrokers, issuing houses, financial institutions, fintech partners, community leaders, investor associations and the investing public for their support and participation throughout the offer period.
Tesla has set a 2028 commercial production date for its new Roadster sports car that can briefly rise into the air using rocket technology.
According to CNN, the date was revealed when the manufacturers demonstrated its functionality on Thursday at a SpaceX testing facility in Texas, United States, where the two-seater vehicle performed a series of manoeuvres, including driving upside down before making a short airborne movement.
The prototype was operated without a driver during the test, with Musk saying the decision was taken “to make sure we don’t kill anyone.”
“Success is not guaranteed. I mean that. It’ll probably work, but if it doesn’t work, we’re at a safe distance,” he said.
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CNN reported that the vehicle uses 10 nozzles and high-pressure air tanks to generate thrust, with Musk claiming it could accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than a second.
The Tesla boss attributed the development to cooperation between the electric vehicle manufacturer and SpaceX, the rocket company he also leads.
He described the project as “the results of what happens when you have a collaboration with the world’s best car company and the world’s best rocket company.”
Musk also sought to assure spectators that the demonstration was genuine, saying, “We need an audience to prove that it’s not AI or SI. So you guys can tell people you saw it with your eyes, because what you see with your eyes, you will not believe.”
Despite the display, questions remain about whether the vehicle can achieve sustained flight and how practical it would be for everyday transportation.
Roger Conner, curator for vertical flight at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, told CNN that combining the requirements of road vehicles and aircraft presented significant engineering challenges.
“Aircraft are extremely sensitive to weight, whereas with ground vehicles you want them to have bumpers and crumple zones and all that,” he said.
“Inevitably, something that is a hybrid between the two is going to be a poor performing aircraft and a poor performing vehicle, and also quite expensive,” he added.
Conner questioned whether the demonstration amounted to flying in the conventional sense.
“We’re not talking about sustained flight. We are literally talking about hopping,” he said.
However, Jim Dukhovny, chief executive of flying car startup Alef, said the technology was achievable, while pointing to the difficulties involved in making such vehicles transition safely from vertical take-off to forward flight.
“It absolutely is 100% feasible,” he told CNN.
“That being said, the hardest part on all eVTOLs, and for us, it’s a transition from (rising) vertical to (moving) forward. It needs to be extremely careful, making sure you do not lose lift, and making sure it’s very stable,” he added.
CNN also reported that Alef’s prototype weighs about 254 pounds, uses eight propellers and is designed to carry one person.
Musk said Tesla intended to begin production of the new Roadster in 2028.
CNN reported that the latest display adds to Musk’s ambitions to push Tesla’s vehicle technology beyond conventional electric cars, although the prototype’s ability to operate as a practical flying vehicle has yet to be established.
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