Finance
Court orders sale of tax evaders’ properties to defray N35.9m debt


BY: Sandra Ani
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered of sale two landed properties belonging to two tax evaders, Zaibadari Company Limited and Tradecraft Nigeria Limited, to defray N35.9 million tax debts.
The court granted the sale order following prayers by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to allow it sell the landed properties of the two firms to defray the tax liabilities which amounted toN18. 8 million against Zaibadari and N17.1 million against Tradecraft.
FIRS approached the court for an order to sell the properties after the two firms failed to honour a series of demand notices issued to pay their outstanding tax liabilities.
In moving the court to grant the order, counsel to the FIRS, Collins Ugwunebo, told the court that Zaibadari was indebted to the FIRS to the tune of N18. 8 million, while Tradecraft owed the Service N17.1 million in 2015.
FIRS issued and served demand notices on the two firms and gave them 30 days within which to pay arrears of taxes to the FIRS. Both firms failed to pay within 30 days the arrears of taxes within 30 days.
FIRS relied on Section 33(2) of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Establishment Act, 2007 and served Warrants of Distraint on the respondents giving them 14 days to pay the tax due or risk the sale of their properties to settle the tax debt.
Despite the Warrants of Distraint served on the two companies, both failed to pay the tax arrears. This led to the two suits against Tradecraft and Zaibadari.
On 17 October 2018, FIRS complied with the order of the court that it should run adverts in the LEADERSHIP newspaper to serve Zaibadari through substituted means.
Ugwunebo, in an affidavit, told the court that Zaibadari’s assessment was based on 20 per cent of N62,675, 200 million which was the “deemed profit of the respondent (Zaibadari) landed property located at Plot 551 Wuye B03, FCT Abuja, valued at N313,3376,000 million.”
On March 23, 2019, Justice A. I Chikere ruled: “Despite the service of process on the respondent’s company, it refused, neglected and failed to state its side of the case nor have counsel appear on its behalf to state its case.
“It is trite law that an averment in an affidavit which is not challenged or controverted is deemed admitted as true. See DIGAL vs NACHANG (2005) All NWLR (pt240) pg 41 at 46. Also in the case of ATAMAH & ANOR vs EBOSELE & ORS (2018) LPELR 3825 where the court held that in the nature, a party who has or has every opportunity to present its case before the court and who fails to do so cannot be heard to complain.
“The court is bound to believe the affidavit in support of application to the effect that the respondent is a tax evader and in default of its tax obligation to the applicant.
“Accordingly, an order for the sale of landed property the respondent located at Plot 551, Wuye B03 FCT is hereby made to satisfy her arrears of tax N18,802,560.00 (eighteen million eight hundred and two thousand five hundred and sixty naira only.
Justice Chikere also ordered the sale of the property at Plot 1151 Wuye B03 FCT, Abuja to satisfy the arrears of tax of N17,150,496:00 (Seventeen Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety-Six Naira) only and after the deduction of the expenses from the sale of the property, refund the amount in excess to the defendant or anybody authorised by her upon request by the defendants’ company.”
The application for the sale of the properties was brought under S.33(2) which gave the Federal Inland Revenue Service the power to apply to Court to obtain an Order prior to selling a distrained property.
Executive Chairman of the FIRS hailed the Nigerian judiciary for supporting the fight against tax evasion and expressed the hope that this judgement would deter other tax evaders.
Director, Legal Services Department of FIRS, Ike Odume, noted that this was the first time in the history of the FIRS that a court order would be used to sell the properties of tax evaders in Nigeria. Odume urged Nigerians to support the efforts of government in raising revenue to build infrastructure to stimulate the economy and ensure better life for all.
Finance
Tinubu Launches Personal Income Tax Calculator to Improve Compliance, Fairness
By ORJI ISRAEL


President Bola Tinubu has launched a Personal Income Tax Calculator to help Nigerians work out their tax obligations under the new tax law.
The tool is expected to make compliance easier and improve transparency in the system.
In a post on his X page, the president said the calculator shows how the recent reforms protect low-income earners while ensuring fairness.
“A fair tax system must never punish poverty or weigh down the most vulnerable. With the new tax laws I recently signed, taking effect from January 2026, we have lifted this burden and created a path of equity, fairness, and true redistribution in our economy,” Tinubu said.
Some months ago, he signed four major tax bills into law to bring Nigeria’s scattered tax system under one framework. These include the Nigeria Tax Administration Law, which sets out a uniform process for tax administration across federal, state, and local governments; the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, which replaces the current Federal Inland Revenue Service Act with a stronger, more independent revenue agency; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, which creates a formal structure for cooperation between revenue bodies at all levels.
The introduction of the tax calculator, together with these reforms, is expected to reduce confusion for both individuals and businesses, while also making it easier for them to meet their obligations and contribute to national growth.
Tinubu added that the reforms are part of building renewed hope for the economy and urged Nigerians to trust in the country’s future for themselves and their families.


The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says that no fewer than 1,000 companies, representing 20% of total eligible firms, have begun integrating its newly launched electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) system less than two weeks after it went live.
The FIRS e-invoicing platform, which went live on August 1, 2025, after a successful pilot phase that began in November 2024, was designed to modernise Nigeria’s tax administration, curb evasion, and enhance transparency in revenue generation. It also provides the FIRS with real-time visibility into commercial transactions, ensuring authenticity and completeness of invoices.
According to a statement by Dare Adekanmbi, special adviser on Media to FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji, at least 1,000 companies, representing 20% of more than 5,000 eligible firms, have already adopted the system and begun integrating with the FIRS platform.
Adekanmbi noted that the initiative, also known as the Merchant-Buyer Model, will be rolled out in phases. “Large taxpayers, which are companies with annual turnover of N5 billion and more, are expected to be the first to be onboarded on the platform,” he said.
FIRS revealed that MTN Nigeria was the first taxpayer to transmit live electronic invoices to the platform, while Huawei Nigeria and IHS Nigeria have concluded test transmissions and are expected to go live soon.
The agency added that the initial compliance deadline of August 1, 2025, has been extended by three months to accommodate companies currently facing onboarding challenges. The new deadline is now November 1, 2025.
Finance
NGX Boss, Umaru Kwairanga, to Chair Business Journal Fintech Roundtable 2025
By Our Correspondent


Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) will Chair the 2nd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2025 scheduled for Friday, August 29, 2025 at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos. Time is 10-am prompt.
The theme of the Roundtable is: Fintech & Financial Inclusion: The Opportunities & Challenges for Nigeria.
In a statement, Prince Cookey, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Business Journal Media Group said the choice of Umaru Kwairanga to chair the event is a reflection of his immense and chequered journey in the Nigerian economic system over the years.
“Dr. Umaru Kwairanga is a noted player in the Nigerian economy and financial services sector. Over the years, he has carved a positive niche in driving the narrative in national policy formulation, implementation and review. He remains a worthy point of reference and role model to current and future players in the Nigerian economy.”
Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Kwairanga, Sarkin Fulani Gombe and Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), is a notable player in the Nigerian corporate world, a thorough-bred professional and a prominent community leader in Gombe State and the North East region.
He has served at the highest levels of the banking, pension, investment, manufacturing and commercial sectors of Nigeria’s economy. He is the current Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Nigeria’ oldest stock exchange and also Chairman of Tangerine General Insurance Limited.
The NGX Chairman is also a Director on the Boards of First Bank Senegal Limited, Tangerine Apt Pensions Limited and the Group Managing Director of Finmal Finance Services Limited.
He is a past Chairman of Ashaka Cement plc and previously served on the Boards of Jaiz Bank Plc, Central Securities Clearing System Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc and First Bank Mortgages Limited to mention a few.
Professionally, Alhaji Kwairanga is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria, the Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria and the Abuja Commodities and Securities Exchange.
He is also a Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; the Chartered Institute of Directors and he is the current President of the Certified Pensions Institute of Nigeria.
Kwairanga is a holder of the prominent traditional title of Sarkin Fulani Gombe and has led several initiatives for peace and development in Gombe State and the North East region in general.
He has also been involved in policy and strategy formulation in the public sector as a Member of the Vision 2020 Committee, the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan and several committees of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
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