Nigerian House of Reps Orders Arrest of MSC Executives Over Tax Evasion, Anti-Competitive Practices

The Nigerian House of Representatives has issued arrest warrants for top executives of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Nigeria following allegations of large-scale tax evasion and anti-competitive behavior.

The move follows a petition filed by the Citizens Whistleblowers Coalition (CWC), which accuses MSC of failing to accurately declare revenues or remit appropriate taxes to the Federal Government, despite Nigeria being its largest market in Africa. Globally, MSC reported earnings exceeding €83 billion.

According to the House Committee on Public Petitions, chaired by Hon. Micheal Etaba Irom, MSC Nigeria’s Managing Director, Andrew Lynch, and Deputy Managing Director, Jake Iosso, repeatedly failed to honor official summons and invitations to appear before the committee.

On Thursday, July 31, the committee formally ordered their arrest and instructed the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to provide full tax remittance records of MSC. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) was also directed to submit complete documentation of MSC’s registration and legal standing in Nigeria.

Despite being officially notified both in person at its Lagos office and via a national newspaper MSC reportedly failed to file any formal response to the allegations.

The petition also claims the company imposed opaque and excessive shipping charges, detained shipments unlawfully, refused to refund container deposits, and engaged in conduct that violates Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), especially Sections 115 and 127 related to price transparency and anti-monopoly provisions.

Hon. Uzoma Abonta, legal representative for the petitioners, described MSC’s actions as “a flagrant disregard for Nigerian laws and institutions,” and recommended severe sanctions, including suspension of the company’s operational license and possible foreclosure.

Freight industry groups such as the Nigerian Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) also criticized MSC for failing to return container deposits ranging between ₦200,000 and ₦400,000 per container collected from freight agents acting on behalf of importers.

The House Committee has adjourned further hearings to September 25, 2025, pending official submissions from FIRS, CAC, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).