The Lagos State Government has reacted after 20-year-old TikTok influencer Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, went viral for alleging that he received a ₦36 million tax notice.
In a heated livestream with singer Peruzzi, the young content creator lamented that the amount was outrageous, stressing that he only rose to fame last year and could not afford such a bill. He fumed:
“The task force said I should pay ₦36m in tax. I swear to Almighty Allah, I don’t have anything. I only came into the limelight last year. Are you even paying tax, Peruzzi? Why should I pay ₦36m? The government has never given me anything, not even support for TikTok.”
Peruzzi in response asked why Peller doesn’t pay tax and urged him to settle the bill to avoid jail time. He said:
“Do you know you’re supposed to pay tax as a Nigerian? Do you know how much I pay as tax? I won’t mention it here but it’s more than the tax bill they gave you.”
Responding in an interview with Punch, Governor Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on Tax and Revenue, Abdulkabir Ogungbo, clarified that all taxation matters in the state fall under the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS). He added that while Peller’s specific case would be reviewed, anyone earning legitimately in Lagos must pay tax.
Ogungbo explained that under the Nigerian Constitution, personal income tax is mandatory for anyone who earns, whether through physical jobs or digital platforms. He noted that recent tax reforms now cover online and virtual income streams. He said:
“When you earn a living or income legitimately, you are supposed to pay tax. If you’re resident here, we assume you use the infrastructure here, so you’re bound to remit your tax to the LIRS.”
The Special Adviser stressed that the quantum of the ₦36m demand would be investigated, but reiterated that creators, influencers and digital entrepreneurs are not exempt from taxation.
