August 2021 VAT Compliance: What to Know and Do

1. We take a break today from the VAT Politics and the Search for Focus series and the analytics that adorn it and torch on the more pressing issue of what you need to know and do with your August 2021 Value Added Tax (VAT) compliance.
2. As you may know, you were ordinarily to have computed, remitted and filed your August 2021 VAT Returns before Tuesday, September 21, 2021. In actual fact and as at today the morning of Thursday, September 16, 2021, you are still exactly to do as you have always done in the circumstance that nothing has really changed despite the fast-moving currents. The VAT you have collected on behalf of FIRS is still payable to it.
3. Since the publication of VAT Politics and the Search for Focus (Part 2) , the following new developments have been unearthed or happened in the ongoing VAT wars:

• Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had appealed the Monday, August 9, 2021, judgment of the Federal High Court (FHC) sitting at Port Harcourt, Rivers State in Attorney General for Rivers State v. FIRS & Another [BO4] at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Judicial Division. Recall that it was this judgment that limited the taxing powers of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to the imposition and administration of only taxes on incomes, profits, capital gains and stamp duties. The judgment states that the FGN has no powers to impose and administer any other taxes including VAT, Withholding Tax et.al.

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First Thoughts: To Give or Not to give unto Caesar

Sometime last week, I came across a meme on social media. It was basically a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation where the first person said “Hello, my name is Caesar” and the response of the other person was “Caesar, abeg wetin be your own no dey my hand o!” If you’re a student of the Bible or did some CRK at some point in school, you would remember the part where the Pharisees in a bid to test Jesus Christ asked him if it was right to pay taxes unto Caesar. Jesus responded with the line “Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s” and that is how that powerful quote came about.

The concept of federalism in Nigeria has been one interesting subject over the years and myriads of conversations have been birthed from it. The clamour for restructuring over the years now is an offshoot of the challenges with the system of federalism practiced in Nigeria. The recent ruling in Rivers State’s E.C Ukala v FIRS case shook the Nigerian table tremendously and until now, the reactions have continued to pour in from all quarters with both kudos and knocks alike.

In a nutshell, Value Added Tax (VAT) according to the VAT Act and subsequent amendments, and even portions of the Finance Act, 2019 have been stipulated to be remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and in turn, all VAT collections from all the states in Nigeria are shared amongst the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). For me, this is a fundamental flaw. The sharing formula has not exactly helped matters and we find out that this is major disincentive for hardworking states, knowing fully well that the wealth they work for would be distributed to some states who do not need to even move a finger. Ironically, the value added taxes collected on alcoholic beverages are also redistributed and some states in Nigeria practicing Sharia Law and banning the sale and consumption of these beverages within their jurisdiction still benefit from this redistribution.

The landmark judgement was music to my ears and while we watch patiently as the relevant consultations continue and most likely a major appeal from the FIRS to the ruling, I believe more Nigerian states would be encouraged to begin to fight for what they believe is rightfully theirs. Hopefully this serves a wakeup call to all and sundry that there is no food for lazy man. Every state should strive for its own autonomy, improve its internally generated revenue (IGR) earning capacities and not continue to depend largely on the federal allocations (FAAC). It is only then that we can achieve the equitable distribution of wealth we all clamour for. The burden on the centre needs to be relieved before things fall apart and the centre can no longer hold.

In this Issue, we discuss:

1. Capital gains: What you need to know
2. E.C Ukala v FIRS; The Rivers State VAT Ruling: Implications on Businesses.
3. 7 things to know about Withholding tax (“WHT”) on Interest Expense
4. Tax Audit and Tax liability: what you should know

• The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says the country’s inflation rate may drop to 13 percent this year and single digit by 2022. Hassan Mahmud, Director of Monetary Policy Department, CBN, said this on Friday in Lagos at the virtual mid-year Economic Review and Outlook 2021, organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN)’s Centre for Financial Studies, in collaboration with B. Adedipe Associates. Read more HERE.
• The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says its revenue projections for the year 2022 financial year is N10.1 trillion. This was disclosed by its Chairman, Muhammad Nami while appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance on Wednesday, in Abuja, during a public hearing by the committee on the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP). Read more HERE.
• Nigeria will receive $3.35 billion as its share of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) $650bn Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to help boost the liquidity of member countries. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, announced the deployment in a statement on Monday. SDR is an international reserve asset created by the United Nations specialised agency to supplement its member countries’ official reserves. Read more HERE.
• The Bankers’ committee announced plans to begin the sale of foreign exchange to customers through the platform of the Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS). The committee is a forum of chief executives of Nigerian banks and the directors of the different departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the CBN governor as chairman. Read More HERE

Please stay tuned to our TaxThursday bulletins, our website and of course our mobile application, TBook.

Please don’t forget to follow us on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Linkedln. We appreciate your feedbacks as usual. Please continue to send them. Feel free to read more of our publications on our website. You can email us on intelandcomms@taxaide.com.ng or if you prefer, call us on 0700TAXAIDE.

Till Next Time

GB (g.sile@taxaide.com.ng)

When it comes to the obligation to deduct and remit WHT to the relevant tax authority as it relates to interest expense on loans, there seem to be some sort of confusion or negligence. As a way of keeping our audience informed, we have itemized below 8 points to note as it relates to the deductibility of WHT on interest expense in Nigeria:

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The tax on capital gains directly affects investment decisions, the mobility and flow of risk capital… the ease or difficulty experienced by new ventures in obtaining capital, and thereby the strength and potential for growth in the economy”. John F. Kennedy

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is a tax on the profit obtained from disposal or exchange of certain kinds of assets. In Nigeria, Capital Gains Tax is charged at a flat rate of 10% of chargeable gains. It is governed by Capital Gains Tax Act, Cap CI LFN 2004 (as amended). All chargeable assets are subject to Capital Gains Tax when disposed at a gain, except those specifically exempted by the Act. This includes disposal on decorations awarded for valour and gallant conduct, life insurance policy, Nigerian government securities, stock and shares, etc.

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Welcome to another Tax Thursday!

If you have been following our publications, today’s topic is something you are already familiar with. However, if you are a new reader, you can check up on our previous posts, link will be attached at the end of this write-up.  On today’s edition, we will be talking about tax audit and tax liability.

What is Tax Audit?

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First Thoughts: Between Self Determination and Freedom of Choice

As much as I do not particularly like to get political or join issues with the current realities on the nation’s administrative and political landscape, I have to admit I have been quite fascinated by the occurrences of the last few weeks. Two public figures have been at the center of the storm and interestingly, they come from two major parts of the country.

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First Thoughts: The World Is In Flames, And It’s Tempting To Scream!

Week after week, we’re presented with the evidence of a fast-sinking world: the climate-change crisis, our fragile economies, a pandemic that has killed and infected a lot of people, and now Russia is invading Ukraine! So yes, I understand why you’d want to scream. But here’s the thing: Screaming isn’t working. We have been screaming for decades about all these kinds of stuff, but the world is still falling apart.

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A registered business in Nigeria that earns a legitimate income is captured under the Company Income Tax Act (CITA), Cap C21, LFN 2004 (as amended) to pay the tax due from all its revenue sources. 

However, the provision of the Company Income Tax Act (CITA), Cap C21, LFN 2004 (as amended) exempts income or profits earned from some particular sources from CIT.

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