By Charles Ebi
Shell’s Report on Payments to governments has revealed that the Federal Government of Nigeria was paid a total sum of $4,521,134,915 for the fiscal year ended, 2022.
This amount is made up of the money paid as production entitlement, taxes, royalties,and fees in 2022. The Oil and Gas Multinational gave overall details of money paid to FIRS, NNPC, NUPRC, NDDC Others in 2022
The disclosure was part of Shell’s reports on Sustainability, Climate & Energy Transition, Lobbying and Payments to Governments that were published on Tuesday
A breakdown of the amount showed that the company through its local companies in the country, Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company SNEPCO paid $3,035,996 as Production entitlement, Taxes $ 711, 850,070, Royalties $691, 648,502 and Fees $81,639,634, all amounting to $ 4,521,134,915.
Further analysis of the payment also showed that money realised through Production Sharing Contract, PSC, OPL212/OML118, OPL219/OML135, as production entitlement to the government was $539,313,819, taxes -278,348,859, royalties $480,566,486 and fees – $20,737,019. These amounted to $1,318,966,183.
Production entitlement from the company’s West Asset amounted to $ 1,783,447,897. It was only tax that was paid in respect of PSC 1993, OML133, and this amounted to$194,604,155
The company’s East Asset attracted a production entitlement of $713,234,993. While other royalties, taxes and fees paid by SPDC $510,881,687
Shell in its latest report on payment to governments, stated: “Our operations generate revenue through taxes and royalties for governments around the world. These taxes and royalties are often used by governments to fund essential public services like education, transport and healthcare.
“Since 2016 Shell has made mandatory disclosures under the UK’s Reports on Payments to Governments Regulations 2014 (amended December 2015). We have published the revenues that our operations generate through taxes and royalties on a voluntary basis since 2012. We believe that being open about our tax payments helps people to understand how much we pay and why.
In 2022, Shell paid $68.2 billion to governments. We paid $13.4 billion in corporate income taxes and $8.2 billion in government royalties. In addition, we collected $46.6 billion in excise duties, sales taxes and similar levies on our fuel and other products on behalf of governments.”
Shell has been formally reporting on sustainability-related performance for more than 25 years, with the aim of being transparent about activities that are important to investors, governments, and civil society. The Shell Sustainability Report outlines our social, safety and environmental performance in 2022 and sets out our progress in transitioning our business to net-zero emissions.
In his introduction to the report, Shell’s Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan, writes: “As we invest in the energy needed today, our target to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 remains at the heart of our strategy. We are making good progress. By the end of 2022, we had reduced carbon emissions from our operations by 30% compared with 2016 on a net basis, more than halfway towards our target of a 50% reduction by 2030.
This report shows what we have achieved so far in our work to be a sustainable business. We aim to do this work responsibly, with discipline and at pace to make a positive difference.”
“Shell also published its new 2022 Climate and Energy Transition Lobbying Report. This is another step forward on our journey to increase transparency around our advocacy. It builds on the progress we have made since 2019 in reporting on the key industry associations we are members of, and in providing examples of our advocacy on our website.”
The privatisation of NNPC has not protect it from being a victim of sharp business practices by its MNCs trading partners, NNPC and Nigeria, therefore, remains vulnerable to corruption of the process, illegal exploitation of natural resource and of course tax evasion.”