The Federal Government has said that telecommunication network MTN has come into an agreement with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for the remittance of $2 billion owed the government.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed while hosting the Commandant of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), Ayodele Adeleke on Friday in Abuja.
MTN was said to have owed taxes between 2007 and 2017, according to the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).
In January 2020, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, slammed a $2 billion tax debt against MTN.
Responding to the claims of debt to the government, MTN said that it didn’t owe the said amount.
Zainab, in her statement, said, “MTN is owing the government but there has been a payment plan undertaken with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) they are following.
“They are in Nigeria and have investments all over the country and are following through with the payment commitment made with the FIRS.
“The most recent GDP data which reports real GDP growth of 5.01 per cent in the second quarter of 2021 is very encouraging news as it indicates the Nigerian economy is on a solid path to recovery.
“It is important to note that much of the growth was driven by the expansion of the non-oil sector of the economy where most Nigerians are employed.”
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On governance and security, she said that her ministry looked to take a more active role in ensuring that initiatives are delivered towards achieving “good governance and security” in the country.
She said, “The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning plays a critical role in ensuring the funding requirements for the various MDAs involved in achieving this objective, including the security agencies, are met in a timely and predictable fashion.
“However, at the ministry we envision our role as extending beyond facilitation to actively engaging in the design and delivery of initiatives which directly contribute to building the superstructure of good governance and security in Nigeria, all within the mandate of our ministry and its agencies.
“We recognise there is still much to be done and will continue to work closely with all the relevant stakeholders in Nigeria, including the officers of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 14, who are representatives of our brave and valiant security forces, to make Nigeria a safe and secure environment conducive to sustainable development.”
