By MUSTAPHA SUMAILA

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has extended the deadline for filing of returns in some tax categories by one week.

Mr Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad, Director, Communications and Liaison Department of the service, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

Ahmad said the gesture was in the spirit of the festivities and the palliative measures rolled out by the Service in support of the Nigerian taxpayers against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He quoted the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mr Muhammad Nami, as saying, “the management wishes to felicitate with Nigerians on this occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

“In addition to a number of COVID-19 palliatives already in place, as well as in the spirit of this Eid celebration, we hereby grant a further one-week extension from the 31st July 2020 deadline for companies with December accounting year end to file their Year 2020 annual Income Tax Returns.

“Nonetheless, the service will continue to identify with the challenges of the times, which the taxpayers are going through.

“For the purpose of clarity, companies that fall within this category will not be penalised for late submission, if they file their Year 2020 Income Tax Returns within the grace period, that is, August 1, to August 7 as herein granted.

“We thank the Almighty God for sparing our lives to witness yet another Sallah festival, especially in this year that has been very difficult for individuals and businesses.

“In a similar vein, the one-week grace period is extended to regular monthly obligations that become due at the end of July, for example, Petroleum Profits Tax instalmental payment, Withholding Tax and Value Added Tax Returns.

“FIRS will continue to respond proactively to the realities of these times, towards easing the burden of our esteemed taxpayers,” Nami said. (NAN)

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