NLNG Explains Payment Of $27.5 Million To FIRS
. Says Payment Agreed Out Of Court
By Abimbola Abdullah
The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has explained the circumstances around the payment of $27.5 million to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as a revised Company Income Tax (CIT) settlement for 2016.
The company, in a statement by its General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odey, said the payment was an outcome of an out-of-court settlement, and not a court judgement as erroneously stated by a section of the media.
Odey, in a statement made available to Slye News, said: “The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has noted media reports suggesting that a Tax Appeal Tribunal ordered NLNG to pay $27.5 million to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as a revised Company Income Tax (CIT) settlement for 2016.
“NLNG clarifies that these reports misrepresent an out-of-court settlement that was reached amicably between the parties, without prejudice to their respective legal positions, which the Tribunal merely adopted as Consent Judgment in the appeal.
“The payment by NLNG was thus made in furtherance of a settlement agreement reached between the parties and not because of any order made by the Tribunal.
“NLNG remains a responsible corporate citizen, and consistently operates in compliance with Nigerian laws and will continue to operate in line with its vision of being “a globally competitive LNG company helping to build a better Nigeria.” He stated.
