…Says brewery ranks distance sixth in revenue generation
The Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS) has dismissed claims by former Governor Peter Obi that SABMiller Breweries is the highest taxpayer in the state, describing the assertion as misleading and unsupported by official records.
In a statement obtained by Spear News on Thursday, the revenue agency provided detailed tax figures to counter the claim, revealing that the brewing company ranks a distant sixth behind major banks in its financial contributions to the state.
“The attention of the Service has been drawn to some claims in the public domain regarding the fact that SABMiller Breweries is the highest taxpayer in the state,” the statement read.
“For the avoidance of doubt, while the Service has made very monumental strides in increasing internally generated revenue, the tax collection data clearly disproves this assertion.”
According to the AiRS, Anambra’s monthly revenue has surged from a low of between N1.5 billion and N2 billion in previous years to an all-time high of N10.5 billion in May 2025. However, a breakdown of corporate tax payments over the last two years showed that SABMiller contributed just N656.5 million in total—far less than leading financial institutions.
“A double-check on the last two years’ data on tax collections across corporate bodies, including SABMiller but excluding federal institutions, showed the position of the top six taxpayers in the state,” the statement explained. “Interestingly, SABMiller comes a distant sixth position behind Fidelity Bank Plc.”
The data revealed that First Bank led the pack with N2.15 billion in total tax payments between 2023 and 2024, followed by Zenith Bank (N1.69 billion), United Bank for Africa (N1.68 billion), Access Bank (N1.77 billion), and Fidelity Bank (N1.19 billion). In contrast, SABMiller paid an average of just N28 million per month in 2023 and N26.62 million per month in 2024—a fraction of the banks’ contributions.
“In this sense, the claim can be dismissed with a wave of the hand,” the AiRS declared. “The company in question contributed, on average, N28 million per month in 2023 and N26.62 million per month in 2024.”
The clarification comes amid public scrutiny over tax compliance and revenue transparency in the state. The revenue service emphasised that federal institutions, particularly through Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) taxes, remain the largest contributors to Anambra’s internally generated revenue (IGR).
However, even among private corporate taxpayers, SABMiller’s payments were deemed insignificant compared to the banking sector.
“The above clarifications became necessary to properly situate the claims made by the former governor and to give undiluted information for the members of the public to note,” the statement added. “Additionally, there is the need to provide answers to certain public inquiries either to prove or disprove the claims as published in the media.”
The AiRS, under the leadership of Chairman Dr. Greg U. Ezeilo, has been pushing for improved tax compliance and higher revenue generation. The agency’s latest figures highlight its success in boosting IGR, with monthly collections now consistently exceeding N4 billion—a significant leap from previous years.
Obi recently claimed that the said brewery he introduced during his tenure as governor of the state, remains the highest revenue generator.
However, while the statement did not directly address Peter Obi’s motives for making the claim, it stressed the importance of factual accuracy in public discourse. “The Service remains committed to transparency and accountability,” it concluded. “We urge the public and stakeholders to rely on verified data rather than unsubstantiated assertions.”
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