The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has filed felony fees in opposition to Sterling Global Oil Resources Limited (SGORL) and its Chief Executive Officer, Deepak Baro, over petroleum royalty obligations and alleged nine-year tax liabilities relating to its Oil Mining Lease (OML) 146.
This is detailed in a cost sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/530/2026, solely seen by Nairametrics.
This is likely one of the newest instances instituted by Nigeria’s apex tax company in opposition to main corporations, amid its lawsuit in opposition to Binance over alleged failure to accumulate and remit varied classes of taxes to the Federation.
Alleged tax evasion claims by NRS
In its three-count cost filed by Moses Ideho, Esq., counsel to the NRS, the company acknowledged that SGORL, an organization included below the legal guidelines of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Baro have been served with a discover pursuant to Section 57 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.
The discover required them to produce paperwork, data and knowledge relating to their petroleum royalty obligations in respect of OML 146 for the interval between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2025.
However, they allegedly failed, refused or uncared for to adjust to the notices by failing to produce the required books, paperwork, data and knowledge.
The company acknowledged {that a} reminder discover dated June 15, 2026, was forwarded to the corporate, nevertheless it allegedly failed to comply. This quantities to an offence opposite to Section 57 and punishable below Section 130(1) and (2) of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.
Count two accuses the corporate of concealing tax data.
It reads: “That you, Sterling Global Oil Resources Limited and Mr. Deepak Baro, on or about the 9th day of May 2026 and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being a taxable person within the meaning of the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, having been served with a notice pursuant to Section 57 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, issued by the Nigeria Revenue Service, requiring you to produce for examination, books, documents, records and information relating to your petroleum royalty obligations in respect of Oil Mining Lease 146 (OML 146) for the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2025, and having failed, refused and/or neglected to comply with the said notices, did thereby conceal and withhold, aid and abet information material to the ascertainment of your tax liability, which conduct facilitated the evasion of petroleum due and payable to the government of the Federation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 57 and punishable under Section 118 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.”
In depend three of the cost, Ideho accused the defendants of obstructing, hindering and impeding the NRS and its authorised officers within the efficiency of their capabilities and the train of their powers below the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.
The NRS-SGORL case
Nairametrics gathered that the NRS case in opposition to SGORL was listed earlier than the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Wednesday.
The matter was listed for “plea”, indicating that the defendants have been anticipated to be arraigned.
However, the matter didn’t proceed as scheduled and was additional adjourned to January 27, 2027, for plea.
SGORL is an indigenous firm that ventured into Exploration and Production (E&P) enterprise within the yr 2006.
As seen on its official website, SGORL participated within the bidding held by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and was profitable in getting the license for OML 146 (previously OPL 277).
FG’s tax-related fits in opposition to corporations
The improvement provides to the record of tax instances instituted by Federal Government businesses.
In October 2026, Nairametrics solely reported that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) withdrew its court case in opposition to Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) following the settlement of its investigation into alleged $2.3 billion tax evasion involving the corporate.
This adopted the Commission’s allegation that the oil firm had been under-declaring its every day oil manufacturing to evade taxes on its manufacturing earnings.
