SMEs: Multiple taxation, dearth of infrastructure hurting our businesses

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), particularly those on the Ikorodu axis of Lagos State, have cried out that excessive taxation and dearth of supportive infrastructure, among other harsh operating environment-related challenges, are taking a huge toll on their businesses.

Some of the small business owners in Ikorodu, who spoke with The Nation, lamented that constant and multiple demands for taxes by various agents of the government were hurting their profitability and threatening the sustainability of their businesses.

For instance, Logistics &Facility Manager, Hallel Engineering Company, Mr. Adeolu Akinpelu, said his company was faced with the challenge of double taxation by the government under various names and categories.

Akinpelu said there was a need for the government at all levels to harmonise the various taxes to be paid by different categories of businesses, to avoid the current situation where businesses, particularly SMEs, are forced to pay the same taxes but with different sub-heads.

The Nation, September 15, 2017

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