Broadcasting
Tax Consultant Describes FIRS Allegations against MultiChoice as Full of Lies
Mr. Bonaventure Amuzie, a tax consultant, has described the tax dispute between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and pay television company, MultiChoice Nigeria, as needless and capable of reducing taxpayer confidence in the country’s tax system.
Amuzie, who made his views known in a press statement issued in Lagos on Friday, said there are big question marks on how the revenue body arrived at the N1.8 trillion tax liability it alleges that MultiChoice has.
“I am an advocate of strict tax compliance and I desire to see the tax affairs of every business in the country put under scrutiny, scientifically. But the way FIRS came up with the figure it attributed to MultiChoice is anything but scientific. The consultants hired by the FIRS to carry out an audit just manufactured figures that look very illiterate. I am not sorry to say,” he said.
Amuzie, who said he has followed the proceedings at the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT), where MultiChoice is contesting the liability, explained that the parameters used by the FIRS compute the figures are unreliable.
“An agency like the FIRS, which seeks to earn the trust of taxpayers, should not have claimed that Nigeria accounts for 34% of the total earnings of the MultiChoice Group. The figure quoted is one that can be easily debunked and has been debunked, notably by a major tax consultancy, Andersen, which showed that Nigeria contributes 10.19 per cent to MultiChoice’s revenue base, 34 per cent,” he said.
The tax consultant said Andersen referenced the MultiChoice Group’s audited financial statements for 2019, which showed that Nigeria accounted for only 34 per cent of the group’s revenues across the rest of the continent (excluding South Africa).
“The rest of Africa, according to credible data, accounts for 29.6 per cent of the MultiChoice Group’s revenues. So, where did the FIRS get its figures from?” he asked.
Amuzie slammed FIRS, describing it as incompetent, for claiming that part of MultiChoice Nigeria’s revenues come from outside the country. He explained that the company does not provide services to other countries and therefore has no basis to be paid from outside Nigeria.
“MultiChoice has operations in almost all African countries, so on what basis will Ghanaians, who have MultiChoice Ghana, for example, be paying to MultiChoice Nigeria? It is also laughable that the FIRS, which wants to be taken seriously, does not understand that payment channels used by MultiChoice to receive payments from users of its services will be paying money to MultiChoice. Quickteller and Interswitch, which the FIRS listed as some of the third parties paying MultiChoice, are nothing more than payment channels. They contribute nothing to the company’s coffers,” he said.
Amuzie also noted that local television channels carried by MultiChoice on its platforms were listed among third parties paying the company and described the use of such as computational basis as working towards a predetermined end.
“To do that is worse than poor, but it is less grave than the FIRS’ decision to also use MultiChoice dealers’ revenues as a basis for tax liability computation. Dealers are separate from MultiChoice and I do not think it makes sense, as the FIRS claimed to have done, to have used their figures to compute tax indebtedness,” he said.He warned that companies will view the experience of MultiChoice in the hands of the FIRS as an unfair attack that will shape their attitude to tax compliance. He wondered how it is possible to rack up a tax bill of N1.8 trillion, asking whether the FIRS just came into existence.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
Broadcasting
Davido, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Karl Toriola, Others To Be Honoured At The Most Influential People of African Descent Awards In Lagos
Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) is excited to announce the Lagos Diaspora Experience 2025, a week-long celebration of African art, culture, innovation, and connection, culminating in the End of the Year Awards & Celebration on Sunday, December 21st, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Most Influential People of African Descent Awards
This historic occasion marks the first time the world-famous Most Influential 100 Recognition & Awards Ceremony—traditionally held in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)—will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria.
The week will feature events such as Diaspora Day at the Fela Exhibition (Afrobeat Meets Diaspora), Cultural Heritage Day, and Business Leadership Luncheons, all culminating in the awards celebration.
The evening will honor the Best & Brightest of the Year, recognizing exceptional individuals and institutions whose work has advanced Global African Achievement and Black Excellence across business, government, media, culture, and technology.
Key Recognitions for 2025
– Governor of the Year & City of the Year: His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, honored alongside Lagos as City of the Year for its global leadership in culture, innovation, tourism, and diaspora engagement.
– Her Excellency Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, will be honoured as Minister of the Year for her contribution to the creative economy’s role in nation branding and cultural diplomacy.
– Most Influential Woman of the Year: Olorì Atúwàtse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom
– Most Influential Man of the Year: Adewale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, OANDO
– CEO of the Year: Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria; who will deliver a keynote address, recognized for his transformative leadership and impact on Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital economy.
Others include; Karl Toriola of MTN as CEO of the year, Uche Pedro of Bella Naija as Lifestyle Personality Of The Year, Ojy Okpe of Artise News as Most Influential News Anchor Of The Year, Stephanie Busari as Media Executive of the Year, Kayode Okikiolu as Pressman of the year, Davido as Artist of the year and several others.
In celebrating this year’s honorees, Michael Ehindero, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, owners of Martell Cognac, who emerged as Brand Of The Year expressed deep appreciation for the brand’s continued global recognition, saying: “It’s a great reward for the team who’s delivered Martell excellently in Nigeria over the years.
“We say thank you to the teams, we say thank you to our consumers and we say thank you to MIPAD.
“Martell has a lot of promising experiences in the years to come in Nigeria and with this we invite you over to Nigeria to experience Detty December”.
The ceremony will also celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025 Honorees, alongside past Nigerian honorees who were unable to attend their year of recognition in New York.
“For the first time, we’re bringing our world-famous recognition platform home to celebrate excellence within the Global Africa Family — right here in Lagos,” said Kamil Olufowobi, Founder & Chairman of MIPAD. “This is more than an event; it’s a movement uniting the best of us — connecting, collaborating, and working together to change the world.”
Event Details
📍 Lagos, Nigeria
– Friday, Dec 19 – #DettyDec Diaspora Day at Fela Exhibition FREE
– Sunday, Dec 21 – End of Year Recognition & Award Ceremony STRICTLY BY INVITATION
🎟️ RSVP: https://rsvp.oakenevents.com/mipad
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