Anambra IRS to Peter Obi: Stop misleading the public with false tax claims

 Anambra IRS to Peter Obi: Stop misleading the public with false tax claims—Says SABMiller Is Not the State’s Highest Taxpayer

Awka, July 19, 2025 — The Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) has strongly refuted claims by former Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, that SABMiller Breweries is the highest taxpayer in the state.

Reacting to Obi’s statement made during a recent political campaign, AIRS Chairman, Dr. Greg Ezeilo, described the assertion as misleading and factually incorrect. He disclosed that SABMiller is not the top taxpayer in the state, but rather ranks sixth on the list of major contributors to the state's tax revenue.

According to Dr. Ezeilo, First Bank tops the list of Anambra’s highest taxpayers, followed by Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Access Bank, and Fidelity Bank. He stated that SABMiller paid a total of ₦656.5 million in taxes between 2023 and 2024 — an amount significantly lower than those paid by the five financial institutions ahead of it.

“In 2023, SABMiller contributed an average of ₦28 million monthly, which dropped slightly to ₦26.62 million in 2024. These figures clearly show that the company is not the state’s top taxpayer, as claimed,” Ezeilo said.

The AIRS Chairman cautioned Mr. Obi against politicizing tax information and urged him to base his statements on verified data. “It is unfortunate and disappointing to see a former governor of the state disseminating inaccurate information in the name of politics,” he added.

Dr. Ezeilo also emphasized the importance of factual accuracy, especially regarding economic matters that affect public perception and trust. He noted that Anambra State has recorded significant growth in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), moving from a historical low of ₦1.5 billion–₦2 billion per month to over ₦4 billion monthly. He further highlighted that the state hit an all-time IGR record of ₦10.5 billion in May 2025.

He said such economic progress is being driven by the current administration under Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, whose transformation agenda has been widely acknowledged by residents and stakeholders alike.

“Rather than misinforming the public with foreign or fabricated statistics from places like Malaysia or Indonesia, we urge Mr. Obi to acknowledge the facts on the ground and appreciate the growth trajectory of Anambra,” Ezeilo concluded.

Residents have also expressed dismay at what they describe as the former governor’s repeated use of inaccurate data during political campaigns, especially in the face of visible infrastructural and economic advancements across the state.

Anambra State, under Governor Soludo’s administration, has been branded as the emerging ‘Dubai-Silicon Valley’ of Nigeria, with vibrant economic and business activities reshaping the state’s development narrative.