Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 PDF

Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 2021 No. 6 289. (1) Where— (a) no valid objection or appeal has been lodged within the time limited by section 285 of this Act or the rules of the relevant tribunal or court, as the case may be, against an assessment as regards the amount of the hydrocarbon tax assesse...

Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 2021 No. 6 289. (1) Where— (a) no valid objection or appeal has been lodged within the time limited by section 285 of this Act or the rules of the relevant tribunal or court, as the case may be, against an assessment as regards the amount of the hydrocarbon tax assessed, (b) the amount of the tax has been agreed to under section 285 (5) of this Act, or (c) the amount of the tax has been determined on objection or revision under section 285 (6) of this Act or on appeal, A 305 Assessment to be final and conclusive. the assessment as made, agreed to, revised or determined on appeal, as the case may be, shall be final and conclusive for all purposes of this Act as regards the amount of such tax. (2) Where the full amount of the tax in respect of the final and conclusive assessment under subsection (1) is not paid within the appropriate period or periods prescribed in this Act, the provisions relating to the recovery of tax and to any penalty under section 292 of this Act, shall apply to the collection and recovery, subject only to the set-off of the amount of any tax repayable under any claim, made under any provision of this Act, which has been agreed to by the Service or determined on an appeal against a refusal to admit any such claim. (3) Where an assessment has become final and conclusive, any tax overpaid shall be repaid or treated as credit in favour of the assessed party. (4) Nothing in section 285 of this Act or in this Chapter shall prevent the Service from making any assessment or additional assessment to hydrocarbon tax for any accounting period which does not involve re-opening any issue on the same facts which have been determined for that accounting period, under section 285 (5) and (6) of this Act by agreement or otherwise or on appeal. PART VIII—COLLECTION, RECOVERY AND REPAYMENT OF TAX 290. Collection of hydrocarbon tax shall, in cases where notice of an objection or an appeal has been given, remain in abeyance and any pending proceedings for any payment in instalment shall be stayed until the objection or appeal is determined but the Service may in any such case, enforce payment of that portion of the tax which is not in dispute by an application to the tribunal or court, as the case may be. Procedure in cases where objection or appeal is pending. 291.—(1) Subject to section 280 of this Act, hydrocarbon tax for any accounting period shall be payable in equal monthly instalments together with a final instalment as provided in subsection (4). Time within which payment is to be made. A 306 2021 No. 6 Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (2) The first monthly payment shall be due and payable not later than the third month of the accounting period and shall be in an amount equal to one-twelfth or where the accounting period is less than a year, in an amount equal to equal monthly proportion, of the amount of tax estimated to be chargeable for such accounting period in accordance with section 280 (1) of this Act. (3) Each of the remainder of monthly payments to be made subsequent to the payment under subsection (2) shall be due and payable not later than the last day of the month in issue and shall be in an amount equal to the amount of tax estimated to be chargeable for such period by reference to the latest returns submitted by the company in accordance with section 280 (2) of this Act less so much as has already been paid for such accounting period divided by the number of such of the monthly payments remaining to be made in respect of such accounting period. (4) A final instalment of tax shall be due and payable on or before the due date of filing of the self-assessment of tax for such accounting period and shall be the amount of the tax assessed for that accounting period less so much as has already been paid under subsections (2) and (3). (5) Any instalments on account of tax estimated to be chargeable shall be treated as hydrocarbon tax charged and assessed for the purposes of sections 292 and 294 of this Act. Penalty for nonpayment of tax and enforcement of payment. 292.—(1) Where any hydrocarbon tax or any instalment of tax due and payable is not paid within the appropriate time limit prescribed in section 291 of this Act— (a) a sum equal to 10% of the amount of the tax payable shall be added and the provisions of the Act relating to the collection and recovery of tax shall apply to the collection and recovery of such sum ; (b) the tax due shall incur interest at the prevailing LIBOR or any successor rate, plus 10% from the date when the tax becomes payable until it is paid and the provisions of this Act relating to collection and recovery of tax shall apply to the collection and recovery of the interest ; (c) the Service shall serve a demand notice upon the company or person in whose name a tax is chargeable and if payment is not made within one month from the date of the service of the demand notice, the Service may proceed to enforce payment under this Act ; and (d) an addition imposed under this subsection shall not be deemed to be part of the tax paid for the purpose of claiming relief under any of the provisions of this Act. Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 2021 No. 6 A 307 (2) Any person who without lawful justification or excuse fails to pay hydrocarbon tax within the period of one month prescribed in subsection (1) (c), commits an offence under this Act and the provisions of subsection (1) (a) to (c) shall apply. (3) The Service may, for any good cause shown, remit the whole or any part of the additional 10% penalty and interest on the tax due under subsection (1). 293.—(1) Where payment of hydrocarbon tax in whole or in part has been held in abeyance pending the result of a notice of objection or of appeal, the tax outstanding under the assessment as determined on such objection or appeal, as the case may be, shall be payable within one month from the date of service on the company assessed or on the person in whose name the company is assessed, of the notification of the tax payable by the Service or Tribunal. Collection of tax after determination of objection or appeal. (2) Where such balance is not paid within one month, section 292 of this Act shall apply. 294.—(1) Hydrocarbon tax may be sued for and recovered in a court of competent jurisdiction at the place at which payment shall be made by the Service. Suit for tax by the Service. (2) In any suit under subsection (1) the production of a certificate signed by any person duly authorised by the Service giving the name and address of the defendant and the amount of tax due by the defendant shall be sufficient evidence of the amount due. 295.—(1) Where a person who has paid hydrocarbon tax for an accounting period alleges that any assessment made upon him or in his name for that period, was excessive by reason of some error or mistake in the accounts, particulars or other written information supplied by him to the Service for the purpose of the assessment, that person may, not later than six years after the end of the accounting period in respect of which the assessment was made, make an application in writing to the Service— (a) for a relief ; or (b) to set-off the credit against the liability of a similar tax payable to the Service. (2) On receiving an application under subsection (1), the Service shall inquire into it and subject to the provisions of this section shall by way of repayment of tax give such relief or approve the set-off in respect of the error or mistake as appears to the Service to be reasonable and just. Relief in respect of error or mistake. A 308 2021 No. 6 Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (3) A relief shall not be given under this section in respect of an error or mistake as to the basis on which the liability of the applicant ought to have been computed where the accounts, particulars or information was in fact made or given on the basis or in accordance with the practice of the Service generally prevailing at the time when the accounts, particulars or information was made or given. (4) In determining any application under this section, the Service shall have regard to all the relevant circumstances of the case and in particular shall consider whether the granting of relief would result in the exclusion from charge to tax of any part of the chargeable profits of the applicant and for this purpose, the Service may take into consideration the liability of the applicant and assessments made upon him in respect of other years. Repayment of tax. 296.—(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, a claim for the repayment of any hydrocarbon tax overpaid shall not be allowed unless it is made in writing within six years next after the end of the accounting period to which it relates. (2) The Service shall cause to be refunded or set-off at the option of the applicant upon presentation of relevant documents evidencing the tax to be refunded. (3) Any tax claimed based on this section, which is proven not to be due, shall attract a penalty at the prevailing LIBOR or any other successor rate plus 10% from the date the payment or set-off was made up to the date the refund is made by the applicant. PART IX—OFFENCES AND PENALTIES Penalty for defaults. 297.—(1) A person who fails to comply with the provisions of this Chapter or any regulation made under this Act for which no other penalty is specifically provided, shall be liable to an administrative penalty of N10,000,000, and where the default continues beyond a period stipulated by this Act or regulation, the person shall be liable to a further administrative penalty of N2,000,000 or such other sum as may by order be prescribed by the Minister of Finance, for each day the default continues. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1), a person who is found guilty of an offence under this Chapter or in a regulation made under this Act for which no other penalty is specifically provided, shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of N20,000,000 or other sum as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance by an order and where the offence continues beyond a period stipulated by this Act or regulation, the person shall be liable to an