MultiChoice in discussion with FG to resolve tax claims

MultiChoice said it is in discussions with Nigerian authorities over the instruction it issued to local banks to freeze its accounts over unpaid taxes.

The media reported early this month that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) wanted to recover N1.8 trillion from the pay-tv company in unpaid VAT.

But the company said at the weekend that it was “currently in discussion with FIRS regarding their concerns” and believe that the matter will be resolved amicably.

The company said it cannot give further details on the matter.

The FIRS had recently claimed level of non-compliance by MultiChoice Africa, the parent company of MultiChoice Nigeria on tax issues.

According to FIRS, the company has never paid VAT since its inception and appointed Nigerian Deposit Money Banks as agents to freeze and recover the sum of N1.8 trillion from the accounts of MultiChoice Nigeria and MultiChoice Africa.

Muhammad Nami, executive chairman, FIRS, said the decision to freeze the accounts was as a result of the group’s under-remittance of taxes and continued refusal to grant FIRS access to its servers for audit.