Anambra Disputes Obi’s Claim About Top Taxpayer In The State

The Anambra State Government has rejected former Governor Peter Obi’s claim that SABMiller, a beverage company operating in Onitsha, was the highest taxpayer during his time in office.

The state revenue chief says the statement is not backed by facts.

Obi made the claim during a television interview in June, stating that the brewery, known as Intafact Beverages Limited, remained the state’s largest revenue source and one of its biggest employers. He also spoke about the personal efforts he made to bring the company to Anambra.

However, the Chairman of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS), Dr. Greg Ezeilo, has now set the record straight. In a statement released Thursday, he described Obi’s remark as misleading and based on half-truths. Ezeilo said the data available shows that SABMiller is far from being the top contributor to the state’s tax base.

According to AiRS records from 2023 and 2024, SABMiller ranked sixth among corporate taxpayers, with a total tax contribution of ₦656.5 million over the two-year period. This averages to about ₦28 million per month in 2023 and ₦26.6 million per month in 2024. Fidelity Bank Plc was listed as the leading taxpayer in the same period.

Ezeilo also pointed to the overall growth of the state’s internally generated revenue. Monthly figures have increased steadily over the years, climbing from ₦1.5–2 billion during earlier administrations to a steady ₦4 billion today. In May 2025, Anambra even reached an all-time high of ₦10.5 billion in revenue.

He said the clarification became necessary after the public began asking questions about Obi’s claim. The state government, he added, felt the need to respond with accurate and transparent information to prevent further misunderstanding.

While Ezeilo acknowledged SABMiller’s presence in Anambra and its role in job creation, he maintained that its tax contribution does not match the claim made by Obi. He advised the public to rely on verified data when evaluating statements made by past or present leaders.

Obi, a former Labour Party presidential candidate, had used the brewery as an example of his efforts to attract investment to Anambra during his tenure as governor. But with new figures from the state’s revenue agency now in the open, questions are being raised about the accuracy of such claims.

The revenue service emphasized that their figures excluded federal institutions, which also play a large role in the state’s revenue through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes. Even with that consideration, SABMiller still did not top the list.

The Anambra government concluded its response by urging public figures to speak responsibly and base their statements on facts, especially when it involves matters that affect public perception and economic records.