Nigeria - Customs Service Comptroller-General commended BATN..

August 4, 2009 - British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) was commended for its commitment to the development of the Nigerian economy, especially through employment generation and prompt payment of taxes and duties to the government.

Describing BATN as a good corporate citizen, the (Federal Government of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Finance) Customs Services boss Comptroller General Bernard-Shaw Nwadialo said that his command has been impressed with the company's commitment to the development objectives of the Federal Government through its prompt payment of taxes and duties to the government, pointing out that BATN has never defaulted.

He also disclosed that BATN has for some time now been assisting the Nigerian Customs in its job of policing the nation's territorial borders. This, he said followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the company and the Nigeria Customs Service. BATN had donated 10 Hilux 4x4 vans to the Customs command to help it in its fight against smuggling across Nigerian borders, especially the fight against counterfeit and fake commodities.

Besides the vans BATN also contributed a lot to the training of officers and men of the command, by sponsoring their participation in international workshops on piracy and smuggling.

According to the Managing Director of BATN, Simon Welford, the partnership with the Nigeria Customs was BATN's own way of contributing to the development of the Nigerian economy, and ensuring that the country attains its aim of being one of the top 20 economies in the world in the near future.

The Nigerian tobacco market is essentially a near-monopoly, with BAT (Nigeria) Ltd holding the lion’s share of sales.

British American Tobacco targeting African Children with cigarettes, by Duncan Bannatyne, the British entrepreneur, philanthropist, best selling author and former actor takes on the company behind Embassy, Pall Mall and Benson & Hedges and asks them why they're targeting African children, in the face of falling smoker numbers in the west - video, approximately 60 minutes (you can return to the news brief at any time).

Reference: Nigeria: Customs Boss Commends BATN's Contribution to Nigerian Economy, Oladunjoye Phillip, allAfrica.com, 7/31/2009.

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