Nigeria's 'megachurches' making megabucks

This story on megachurches and tax in Nigeria took months to complete. It became really interesting after the church building collapse incident in September. Fortunately, Bishop Oyedepo was having an event to mark his birthday and that was like the last piece for the jigsaw puzzle. All fell into place perfectly. Personally, I have no views on this issue so cannot express my opinion. Should churches be taxed? Why should they be taxed? Many will argue back and forth on this but I choose to be objective about it. Hear both sides and just 'sit on the fence'. Maybe it is because I have the utmost respect for some of the pastors. I listen to Adeboye, I huge respect Papa Ayo and I have been impacted by Oyedepo's messages. I once travelled from school to Warri to hear him preach. S, no comment. But I can say one thing though. I pay tithe. It does not really matter to where. Church, charity; I take it very seriously. What one believes works for the individual and my strong feeling towards tithe paying has yielded unimaginable results. Positive ones.
"Mega churches" in Nigeria attract millions of followers from inside and outside the country. They have spawned almost an entire economy of their own through hotels, universities, publishing firms and merchandising, making hundreds of millions of untaxed dollars. The surging popularity of the megachurches among the Christians who make up half of Nigeria's 170 million population has propelled their preachers into the ranks of the richest people in Africa. I would be hugely surprised if pastors were not wealthy. I mean they are working for the best person anyone can ever work with so the returns should make their bank accounts really fat.
But exactly how much of Nigeria's 510 billion US dollar-GDP they make up is difficult to assess.
As the churches have charity status, they have no obligation to open their books, and certainly don't have to fill in tax returns, an exemption that is increasingly controversial in Nigeria, where poverty remains pervasive despite the oil riches.
The pastors argue their charity work should exempt them.

Bishop Oyedepo defends their stance when he says:
"Look at where we are, there is no single government input on this premises, we supply our water, we make our roads and all of that and then you come back again and say let's tax them, on what,".

Oyedepo also added that the wealth the church gathers is invested in expanding it, and that if he did not use a private jet, he would be unable to oversee its many foreign operations and still return to Ota every week in time for Sunday's worship.

Click on these links to watch the story: Nigeria's 'megachurches' making megabucks

Nigeria's 'megachurches', a hidden pillar of Africa's top economy

Pics courtesy Reuters Akintunde Akinleye