Nigeria and MTN trade legal arguments over $2bn tax bill

LAGOS: Lawyers representing Nigeria’s attorney general on Tuesday appeared in court to argue that telecoms company MTN Group did not have grounds to oppose a $2 billion tax bill, legal teams for both sides said.

MTN faces the demand from the country’s attorney general, a claim which the company has said is without merit. Nigeria handed MTN the tax bill in September, but the company said the attorney general had exceeded his powers in making the demand.

Legal arguments were heard from both sides at a court in commercial capital Lagos on Tuesday.