Claim:
Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, claimed in a June 2025 interview with ARISE News that Intafact Beverages Limited (commonly referred to as SABMiller Brewery), which was established during his tenure, is “the biggest revenue earner” in Anambra State and the largest contributor to the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR).
Verdict:
False. Data from the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS) contradicts Obi’s claim. SABMiller/Intafact Beverages ranked sixth among corporate taxpayers in the state between 2023 and 2024, far behind top financial institutions in terms of revenue contribution.
Full Fact Check:
In an interview broadcast by ARISE News, Peter Obi highlighted his administration’s investment in the brewery as a major economic success, saying: “The biggest revenue earner in Anambra State is our brewery… That brewery is employing at least directly 500 Anambra people… giving food to over 5,000 Anambrarians.”
He also stated that the state-owned stake in the brewery remains the most impactful government investment to date.
However, this narrative is directly challenged by figures released by the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS).
According to AiRS Chairman Dr Greg U. Ezeilo, a comprehensive review of corporate tax records between 2023 and 2024 shows that:
The top five taxpayers in Anambra were commercial banks, with Fidelity Bank Plc leading the list.
SABMiller/Intafact Beverages contributed a total of N656.5 million over the two years: N336 million in 2023 (an average of N28 million monthly) and N320.5 million in 2024 (an average of N26.6 million monthly).
In contrast, Fidelity Bank Plc alone contributed a total of N1.529 billion during the same period: N747 million in 2023 (an average of N62.2 million monthly) and N782 million in 2024 (an average of N65.1 million monthly).
The AiRS document added:
“SABMiller company comes a distant sixth position behind Fidelity Bank Plc… the claim can be dismissed with a wave of the hand.”
Additionally, the Service emphasised that federal institutions, especially those remitting Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax, remain the biggest contributors to the state’s internally generated revenue, not private companies like SABMiller.
While Obi’s administration indeed facilitated the establishment of the brewery through a N2 billion investment for a 10 percent equity stake in 2012, the claim that it is the largest source of Anambra’s revenue is not supported by official tax data.
Verdict:
SABMiller has contributed to job creation and local investment, but tax records from Anambra’s revenue agency confirm that it is not the highest revenue source for the state nor the highest corporate taxpayer. Therefore, Peter Obi’s claim is false.
