Expert raises concern over difficulties of SMEs to pay tax in Kano offices

A tax expert has raised concern over difficulties faced by Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs to reach to tax offices for payment of taxes in Kano state.

Chimenka Ezeribe, raised the concern on Wednesday in Kano while delivering a lecture on clarifications on some misconceptions on tax administration in Nigeria, at an enlightenment programme, organized by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS for Civil Society groups on Basic Tax Information, FIRS tax processes and operations.

According to him, the FIRS is now trying to address the challenges by establishing more offices to ease the tax payment.

Ezeribe also pointed out that SMEs operators should only pay their taxes at state revenue offices, not FIRS.

He emphasized that Withholding Tax, WHT is a separate tax type, regarded as an advance Payment of Income Tax, CIT or, PIT.

The tax expert, who made the clarification, as Guest Speaker pointed out that Not-for-Profit Organizations are not required to pay tax.

According to him, the FIRS collects 4 per cent tax from non-oil sources, adding that tax payers cannot get excess to tax paid.

“If a tax payer disagrees with an assessment, raised by the Revenue authorities. he/she has the right to it to the board or the relevant tax authority within a specified number of days from the date on the notice of the assessment.”

“If a tax payer is aggrieved by any assessment or demand notice, issued by FIRS, such person may appeal against such a decision to the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT), within the period stipulated under the Act.”

In addition, Ezeribe stated that Small Scale Enterprises need to note that there are tax exemptions for small businesses.