The Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) has publicly dismissed the claim made by the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and former governor of the state, Peter Obi, that SABMiller Breweries is the highest taxpayer in Anambra State.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) Chairman, Dr. Greg Ezeilo, clarified that an analysis of tax remittances over the past two years places SABMiller in sixth position, far behind Fidelity Bank Plc, which tops the list.
Ezeilo said, “For the avoidance of doubt, our data shows that SABMiller contributed an average of N28 million per month in 2023 and N26.62 million per month in 2024, ranking sixth among corporate taxpayers. Fidelity Bank Plc leads with a gross tax payment of N656.5 million over the same two-year period.”
He added that the clarification was necessary to correct misleading public narratives and ensure transparency in tax-related discussions.
The AIRS chairman further noted that the agency had made significant progress in boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), moving from between N1.5 billion and N2 billion per month in previous years to an impressive N4 billion monthly collection, with a record-breaking N10.5 billion achieved in May 2025.
Obi, speaking at a Labour Party campaign rally in Onitsha last Friday, had claimed that the brewery he attracted to the state during his tenure as governor was the state’s highest taxpayer.
He said, “The brewery I built is the highest tax payer in the state and boosts the Internally Generated Revenue. It provided thousands of jobs and is more profitable than other establishments like Fun City.”
Obi’s statement was made while endorsing Dr. George Moghalu, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate for the upcoming November 8, 2025, election.
The revenue agency, however, insisted that Obi’s assertion was inaccurate. According to the AIRS, SABMiller’s average monthly tax contribution in the last two years does not compare to other corporate institutions.
The statement read in part:
“For clarity, SABMiller is not among the top five highest taxpayers in Anambra. The company’s sixth-place ranking is based on comprehensive tax data, excluding federal institutions that contribute heavily to the state’s Pay As You Earn (PAYE) revenue.”
Ezeilo maintained that while SABMiller remains a significant contributor to the state’s economy, the figures do not support Obi’s claims.
The AIRS reiterated its commitment to ensuring tax transparency and urged public figures to base statements on verifiable data to avoid misleading the public.
“The clarifications became necessary to give undiluted information to members of the public and to respond to inquiries aimed at either proving or disproving such claims,” the statement concluded.
The rebuttal comes at a critical time as political campaigns heat up ahead of the November governorship election. Analysts suggest that Obi’s claims, aimed at boosting his party’s economic credibility narrative, might be undermined by this development.
Meanwhile, the AIRS reaffirmed its dedication to supporting Governor Charles Soludo’s drive to improve revenue collection through transparency and reforms, which have seen a remarkable growth in IGR in recent months.