TAXPAYERS and companies who have outstanding foreign currency tax liabilities can now take advantage of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) one-month window to settle the obligations in naira.
The Executive Chairman of the agency, Muhammad Nami stated this in a Public notice issued on Tuesday, noting that the window takes effect from March 1, 2022, to March 31, 2022.
Nami explained that the public notice was as a result of requests and enquiries from taxpayers on challenges being encountered in sourcing for foreign currencies to offset their outstanding tax liabilities.
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“In view of the number of requests, enquiries and the challenges encountered by the taxpaying public in sourcing for foreign currencies to offset outstanding tax liabilities, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (the Service) wishes to inform our esteemed taxpayers that a one-month window has now been opened for this category of taxpayers to settle their foreign currency tax liabilities in Naira with effect from the 1st of March, 2022 to 31st of March, 2022,” the Notice said.
According to the notice, the concession was a one-off window, as the law stated that the currency a taxpayer transacts in is the currency with which the tax is to be paid.
“The extant provision is that the currency of the transaction should be the currency with which the tax is paid. However, this is a one-off window/concession, and the Service would no longer entertain any such request from the taxpaying public.”
“The applicable rate shall be the Investors and Exporters (I&E) Foreign Exchange Rate of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) prevailing on the date of the transaction and or when the tax obligation falls due,” the notice added.
According to the notice, the window covers all liabilities that have falling due for payment on or before December 31, 2021, and for all taxes except the Petroleum Profit Tax.
“This concession is available to all taxpayers, covers all tax types, and all foreign currency tax liabilities falling due on or before 31st December 2021, except for companies in the Upstream (Oil & Gas) Sector, and the Petroleum Profits Tax.”
To benefit from the window, the FIRS said taxpayers within the aforementioned category are expected to make all payment before March 31, 2022.
It also noted that relevant documents relating to the transaction together with the evidence of payment must be forwarded to the Office of the Executive Chairman, and a copy submitted to the local tax office where the taxpayer’s file is domiciled.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.