‎Obi’s SABMiller Claim as Anambra’s Highest Tax Earner False – Official 

‎The Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS) has debunked recent public claims credited to former Governor Peter Obi suggesting that SABMiller Breweries is the highest taxpayer in the state.

In a detailed statement seen by Economic confidential, the AiRS described the claim as misleading and provided verifiable tax data from the past two years to set the records straight.

‎According to the agency, while SABMiller, operating under International Breweries Plc, has made some tax contributions, it ranks a distant sixth among top corporate taxpayers in Anambra State.

Official figures show that the company paid a total of ₦656.5 million in taxes across 2023 and 2024, averaging ₦28 million monthly in 2023 and ₦26.62 million monthly in 2024. This performance, AiRS stressed, falls significantly behind that of the top five contributors, all of whom are commercial banks with stronger records of remittance in both Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) and Withholding Tax (WHT) categories.

‎Leading the list is First Bank Nigeria, which paid over ₦2.15 billion in taxes across the two years, followed closely by Access Bank with ₦1.77 billion, and Zenith Bank with ₦1.69 billion. Others in the top five include United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Fidelity Bank, with ₦1.68 billion and ₦1.19 billion respectively. These figures exclude contributions from federal institutions but reflect taxes paid directly to the state, especially through PAYE, which significantly boost Anambra’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

‎The AiRS further noted that the state’s IGR has witnessed steady growth in recent times, rising from monthly averages of ₦1.5 billion to ₦2 billion in earlier years to over ₦4 billion monthly in 2025. The service recorded an all-time high of ₦10.5 billion in May 2025 alone, underscoring monumental strides in tax collection and compliance.

‎Dr. Greg U. Ezeilo, Chairman of the Anambra IRS, signed the clarification, which he said became necessary to guide the public with accurate information and dispel misinformation in circulation.

He emphasised the need for responsible public commentary, especially on matters that impact the economic image and fiscal reputation of the state.

‎He reiterated that while every taxpayer remains vital to the growth and development of Anambra State, presenting correct facts is imperative. The Service, he assured, remains committed to transparency, accountability, and timely communication of verified fiscal data for the benefit of the public and stakeholders.