₦airaland Forum

The Anambra State Government, headed by Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has refuted a long-standing claim by the former Labour Party presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, that SABMiller Brewery is the state’s highest taxpayer and revenue source.

The state government, through the Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS), on Thursday, released a document showing its highest taxpayers to establish its stance.

According to the document, SABMiller Brewery fell behind five Nigerian banks as the sixth top taxpayers in the state with a total of N656,558,123, both in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Withholding Taxes (WHT).

The top taxpayers were identified as First Bank, Zenith Bank, United Bank of Nigeria and Access Bank, “excluding Federal Institutions”, which the state government said, “contribute hugely to the state’s IGR (Internally Generally Revenue).”

The statement read in part,” A double-check on the last two years’ data (see table below) on tax collections across corporate bodies, including SABMiller but excluding Federal Institutions which contribute hugely to the State’s IGR, especially the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) taxes, showed the position of the top 6 taxpayers in the State.

Interestingly, SABMiller company comes in sixth position behind Fidelity Bank Plc with a gross tax payment of N656.5M in two years (2023 and 2024).

In this sense, the claim can be dismissed with a wave of the hand as the company in question contributed on average, N28M per month in 2023 and N26.62M per month in 2024.

The above clarifications became necessary to properly situate the claims made by the former governor and to give undiluted information for the members of the public to note.

“Additionally, there’s the need to provide answers to certain public inquiries either to prove or disprove the claims as published in the media.”

The state government noted that while the AIRS has made strides in increasing the revenue of the State from its “very low ebb of between N1.5bn to N2bn per month, and even much lower in the previous years; the tax collection has consistently moved up to N4N per month and with an all-time high of 10.5bn in May, 2025.”

Obi had previously claimed that Intafact Beverages Limited brewery in Onitsha, commonly known as the SABMiller Brewery, remains the state’s single largest source of revenue and a major contributor to local employment.

“If I tell you what I suffered for that brewery to be built in Anambra State, you will not believe it.

“I had to go out trying to attract business to Anambra State. One of the biggest revenue earner in Anambra State is our brewery,” Obi told Arise TV in an interview.

In a recent interview with Channels Television on July 7, Obi buttressed his preference for investment-led loans over consumption loans, stating his vision to gradually transform Nigeria into an investment hub for foreign organisations.

Commissioned on August 30, 2012, the Onitsha-based Intafact Beverages Limited started as a greenfield investment by SABMiller, now part of AB InBev, and was later integrated into International Breweries Plc in December 2017.

It was initially funded with over $100m, and an additional $110m was invested in 2014 to triple its production capacity to 2.1 million hectolitres annually.

Under Obi’s administration, the Anambra government invested approximately N2b (about $12.6m ) for a 10 per cent equity stake in the project, an investment he defended as strategic and socially impactful.

https://thewhistler.ng/sabmiller-brewery-soludos-attack-on-peter-obi-backfires/amp/

With this information, it's proven that Mr Peter Obi was right on his statement.

Banks are not government-attracted investments. I and we will keep this information for future reference, before you tell us that investment in SABMILLER is next to nothing.

Aside from Banks, SabMiller is the highest. and, Peter Obi was also right to say "it's one of the highest taxpayers in Anambra State"

“I had to go out trying to attract business to Anambra State. One of the biggest revenue earner in Anambra State is our brewery,” Obi told Arise TV in an interview.

Professor became dumb because of politics. Obi should work to have LP win Anambra.

Shame on shambolic soludo

I thought soludo said that the sabmiller investment was a failed and wasted venture, surprisingly it is the highest tax paying manufacturing company in the whole of Anambra.

This is a game changer for PETER OBI, 2027 is the crowning year for Obi

Soludo has shown us that been a prof does not necessarily mean such person is really sensible or smart.
What has in the last 4 years in terms of investment that Soludo brought to Anambra that can rival what obi did?
Going against your own because of politics is not really sensible. Obi as a former governor did well but Soludo has looked for every way possible to ridicule him. But, in their half baked wisdom they have vindicated obi....

OBI the Tsunami, just dey make every hater collect am WOTOWOTO. This man is not called Sarkin Salama, for nothing. Mai Gaskiya, na gesheka. Them go collect come 2027.

To think I used to be a fan of Soludo in his CBN days, I'm so disappointed in his petty politics.
Obi said one of the biggest tax contributors in terms of government attracted investment.
Banks were not attracted by government besides they belong to the servicing sector.
The brewery is in the main production sector and even contributed the highest when you consider the tax paid by the value chains like suppliers,distributors and consumers.
It's so unfortunate that Anambra state led government is playing this petty politics.

I don't know why soludo is attacking PO...he should be grateful the man gave him a platform

Why are Obidients crying and gnashing teeth over a brewery

Bhella5:
Why are Obidients crying and gnashing teeth over a brewery

Can you name any company that Tinumbu attracted to Lagos state when he was governor?

Imagine! The problem with the character like Charles Soludo is inferiority complex. Therefore the only means of assertion is the politics of vindictiveness and character assassination.

Sadly he has failed to learn from the likes of Rochas Okorocha, late Ogbonnaya Onuh, Rotimi Amaechi, Nwajubia, Ejike Mbaka and others who sacrificed their people because of politics. Where are they today. Even Dave Umahi is trending the same ignoble path

I thought Soludo said the brewery worth next to nothing.

Reno come and see ooo .Na obi be baba ooooooooopppppo.

Obiano spoke,soludo is talking but their youths have choosen what they wished to believe.
The brewery is not the highest tax payer,published by punch newspaper but Obibwas right,published by the whistler…one school,one hospital,one house,one road that someone built in the whole of 8years doesn’t exist till today and they all know but they are just packaging one Aba product want to smuggle enter aso rock…make una Dey play.

Rexymania:
I don't know why soludo is attacking PO...he should be grateful the man gave him a platform

Gave him a platform how?

Lanretoye:
Obiano spoke,soludo is talking but their youths have choosen what they wished to believe.
The brewery is not the highest tax payer,published by punch newspaper but Obibwas right,published by the whistler…one school,one hospital,one house,one road that someone built in the whole of 8years doesn’t exist till today and they all know but they are just packaging one Aba product want to smuggle enter aso rock…make una Dey play.

You are talking off points Mr man.


Peter Obi built Anambra State University's college of medicine and revamped the entire university with a new campus site, from scratch. We have debunked those lies Reno Omockery gave to you guys but una no wan learn abi hear.


Peter Obi renovated more than 80% of Anambra secondary schools, equipped them with modern lab tools and computers, and then handed them over to Church missions for proper management


All those things Reno Omockery told you guys on Twitter are pure lies that have been debunked with facts and videos but as a typical hater, you guys have refused to listen, so continue with your self deceit.

frazee:
Soludo has shown us that been a prof does not necessarily mean such person is really sensible or smart.
What has in the last 4 years in terms of investment that Soludo brought to Anambra that can rival what obi did?
Going against your own because of politics is not really sensible. Obi as a former governor did well but Soludo has looked for every way possible to ridicule him. But, in their half baked wisdom they have vindicated obi....

It has nothing to do with sensible or smart. The problem is all about dangerous envy and jealousy. The personality of Mr Obi which attracted him huge followership without lifting a single finger is what The prof dreamed of, but will never have

There are people out there that have grace bestowed on them without doing anything. Anywhere they step into, people always notice the grace (oil on their head)

franchasofficia:
You are talking off points Mr man.


Peter Obi built Anambra State University's college of medicine and revamped the entire university with a new campus site, from scratch. We have debunked those lies Reno Omockery gave to you guys but una no wan learn abi hear.


Peter Obi renovated more than 80% of Anambra secondary schools, equipped them with modern lab tools and computers, and then handed them over to Church missions for proper management


All those things Reno Omockery told you guys on Twitter are pure lies that have been debunked with facts and videos but as a typical hater, you guys have refused to listen, so continue with your self deceit.

you can just substantiate your own point assuming Reno said he didn’t build and you are here saying he built,can you prove it or you just want to defend a mirage or a foul as usual…if you can’t do that then you don’t have any right choosing a leader for this country,you can post pictures of him commissioning the college of medicine or the schools he renovated.if you don’t have proofs pls done reply.

So a company you invested 2 billion into that gives you close to 500 million. Yearly .. Is what soludo said it was worth next to nothing?

Lanretoye:
you can just substantiate your own point assuming Reno said he didn’t build and you are here saying he built,can you prove it or you just want to defend a mirage or a foul as usual…if you can’t do that then you don’t have any right choosing a leader for this country,you can post pictures of him commissioning the college of medicine or the schools he renovated.if you don’t have proofs pls done reply.

If I post too many links, Naira land bots will ban me, let me give you this link from your own Tinubu's newspaper publication, the nation.


https://thenationonlineng.net/obi-renames-varsity-ojukwu/

Lanretoye:
you can just substantiate your own point assuming Reno said he didn’t build and you are here saying he built,can you prove it or you just want to defend a mirage or a foul as usual…if you can’t do that then you don’t have any right choosing a leader for this country,you can post pictures of him commissioning the college of medicine or the schools he renovated.if you don’t have proofs pls done reply.

Also go to this thread to see some list of laudable infrastructural projects Obi did as Governor without borrowing one kobo and still saved billions for Anambra and invested more.


https://www.nairaland.com/7424096/peter-obi-built-all-these


Mind you, Anambra state was just a new state with zero infrastructure and IGR, Obi still did his best to build things from nothing and that is why we keep letting you people know that you cannot compare Lagos Governor with Anambra Governor at that time cos Lagos Governor is like Nigeria's President with huge access to funds to do whatever he wishes to do unlike an Anambra Governor in 2010/2013 that was still a baby state with no visible government infrastructure of any kind.



If you don't know where I started my journey from, you will never appreciate where I am today and why I am celebrating my success even though it may not be as huge as that of Aliko Dangote and Elon Musk, that's the fact