Tax Evasion: Reps Issue Warrant Of Arrest On Mediterranean Firm’s Officials Over Summons

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has issued a warrant of arrest on officials of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Nigeria and Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A, Geneva following their repeated failure to honour its summons.

The Hon. Bitrus Laori-led committee issued the warrant at the resumed investigative hearing on a letter submitted by a group known as Citizens Whistleblowers Coalition.

The coalition had submitted a petition to the committee, alleging that MSC had not been declaring its revenues accurately and evading payment of proper taxes, when its worldwide revenues were over €83bn with Nigeria being its biggest market in Africa.

“We equally note that MSC’s actions offend several provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 which applies to services rendered by any company in Nigeria…MSC is taking Nigeria and Nigerians for a ride,” the petition said in part.

The panel had early last month invoked Sections 89 (c) and (d) of the Constitution, as amended, and  ordered the Inspector General of Police to compel the managing director and deputy managing director of MSC to appear before the committee.

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It directed the Inspector General of Police to compel the appearance of the managing director, Andrew Lynch and the deputy managing director, Jake Iosso, before the committee after  the refusal of the company to answer the summons served it.

The committee at the latest sitting directed the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) to furnish the parliament with details of the tax remittances of the global shipping giant to the Nigerian government.

Also the committee asked the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to furnish it with the details of the corporate registration of Mediterranean Shipping Company in Nigeria. The matter was adjourned to September 25, 2025 for further legislative action.