The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has filed criminal charges against 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 charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/530/2026, exclusively seen by Nairametrics.
This is one of the latest cases instituted by Nigeria’s apex tax agency against major companies, amid its lawsuit against Binance over alleged failure to collect and remit various categories of taxes to the Federation.
Alleged tax evasion claims by NRS
In its three-count charge filed by Moses Ideho, Esq., counsel to the NRS, the agency stated that SGORL, a company incorporated under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Baro were served with a notice pursuant to Section 57 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.
The notice required them to produce documents, records and information relating to their petroleum royalty obligations in respect of OML 146 for the period between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2025.
However, they allegedly failed, refused or neglected to comply with the notices by failing to produce the required books, documents, records and information.
The agency stated that a reminder notice dated June 15, 2026, was forwarded to the company, but it allegedly failed to comply. This amounts to an offence contrary to Section 57 and punishable under Section 130(1) and (2) of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.
Count two accuses the company of concealing tax information.
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 count three of the charge, Ideho accused the defendants of obstructing, hindering and impeding the NRS and its authorised officers in the performance of their functions and the exercise of their powers under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025.
The NRS-SGORL case
Nairametrics gathered that the NRS case against SGORL was listed before the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Wednesday.
The matter was listed for “plea”, indicating that the defendants were expected to be arraigned.
However, the matter did not proceed as scheduled and was further adjourned to January 27, 2027, for plea.
SGORL is an indigenous company that ventured into Exploration and Production (E&P) business in the year 2006.
As seen on its official website, SGORL participated in the bidding held by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and was successful in getting the license for OML 146 (formerly OPL 277).
FG’s tax-related suits against companies
The development adds to the list of tax cases instituted by Federal Government agencies.
In October 2026, Nairametrics exclusively reported that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) withdrew its court case against Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) following the settlement of its investigation into alleged $2.3 billion tax evasion involving the company.
This followed the Commission’s allegation that the oil company had been under-declaring its daily oil production to evade taxes on its production income.
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