The Edo State Government has announced plans to seal the offices of several organizations, including federal government parastatals and private companies, for allegedly defaulting on tax payments. The affected establishments, which include NPDC, Barnsley International Company Ltd, Ossiomo Power, Okpella Cement (Dangote Group), 7 Up Bottling Company Ltd, and Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, are said to have defaulted on property tax, ground rent, and tenement rate payments.
According to sources close to the state government, the decision to sanction the defaulters is based on their failure to comply with the Edo State Land Use Charge law, despite repeated reminders. The law, which is in accordance with Section 30 of the Edo State Land Use Charge, requires companies to pay the Land Use Charge to the state government. The charge is a consolidated land-based tax that includes property tax, ground rent, and tenement rate.
The Edo State Government had issued an enforcement notice to the defaulting companies on July 24, 2025, which was published in national dailies and social media platforms. The notice expiration will prompt the government to seal the premises of the defaulted companies. This move is part of the government’s efforts to recover outstanding debts from land use charges and sanction recalcitrant defaulters.
The state government’s action is aimed at fast-tracking infrastructural development across the state, as emphasized by Governor Monday Okpebholo. The government has already sealed several commercial premises in Benin metropolis for breach of the Land Use Charge law. The next round of enforcement is expected to extend beyond Benin metropolis to Edo North and Central Senatorial Districts, targeting financial institutions, filling stations, trading companies, private residences, and others.
The Director of Media, Edo State Geographic Information Service, Tunde Eigbiremolen, commended companies and individuals who have consistently paid their taxes without being reminded. He assured that the government has a way of rewarding such companies and individuals. The Edo State Government’s move to seal the offices of tax-defaulting organizations is a significant step towards ensuring compliance with tax laws and generating revenue for the state’s development.