*Lagos maintains lead with N421.2bn
* Kano collects N24bn, 5 S’East states N20bn
In what can be regarded as a startling revelation, recent data from the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), indicates that a new record has been set across Nigeria in relation to the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) collection.
The VAT records, as obtained by Daily Trust from the FIRS, showed that Kano State collected more money as VAT than the entire South- East region within eight months in 2021.
While Kano collected N24.4billion, the five states in the South- East put together got N20billion as VAT collection.
According to the FIRS chat, the top five best states are Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Oyo and Kano, while the five least states in this regard are Taraba, Benue, Kebbi, Imo, and Zamfara.
The data also showed that Kaduna state with N19 billion accrual generated more than Akwa Ibom (N9.3bn), Bayelsa (N13bn), Delta (N13bn), Edo (N9bn), and Ogun (N11bn).
Kaduna’s VAT of N19.8 billion is higher than the combined collection of Abia, Cross River, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Imo.
Interestingly, Abia State, according to the VAT report, collected N2.2 billion; Cross River collected N1.9 billion; Osun collected N2.07 billion.
Ekiti made N6.2 billion; Ondo collected N4.8 billion while Imo collected 1.01 billion.
Lagos topped the chart with 41.5 percent of total VAT generated from January- August 2021, which amounted to N421.2 billion, while Zamfara collected the least which is N762.5 million or 0.08 percent of the sum.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) came second after Lagos as the FCT collected N241 billion or 23.74 percent; Rivers collected N92.3 billion or 9.09 percent, while Oyo followed with N61 billion representing 6.01 percent.
Theideal recalls that the FIRS and some state governments are now in fierce legal battle over VAT collection.
In no particular order, some of states collections are as follows:
Kaduna – N19bn
Akwa Ibom – N9.3bn
Bayelsa – N13bn
Delta – N13bn
Edo – N9bn
Ogun – N11bn
Abia – N2.2bn
Cross River – N1.9bn
Osun – N2.07bn
Ekiti – N6.2bn
Ondo – N4.8bn
Imo – N1.01bn
Yobe – N9.3bn
Akwa Ibom – N9.3bn
Edo – N9bn
Ebonyi – N7.2bn
Ekiti – N6.2bn
