Aradel Energy Recruitment: Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy in Lagos

Aradel Holdings Plc is recruiting an experienced tax professional for the position of Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy, a senior leadership role within its Finance Group.

The successful candidate will lead the company’s group-wide tax function and develop tax and fiscal strategies covering Aradel’s upstream exploration and production, refining, gas processing and marketing operations, as well as its investment and holding entities.

The position is based in Lagos and reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

About the Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy Role

The Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy will have responsibility for the company’s tax strategy, statutory compliance, tax accounting, transfer pricing, international tax matters, tax risk management and engagements with revenue authorities and industry regulators.

The role goes beyond routine tax compliance. Aradel expects the successful candidate to act as a commercial adviser to the business by assessing the tax and fiscal implications of major decisions, including investments, acquisitions, divestments, financing arrangements and corporate restructurings.

The role will also involve engagement with the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), NUPRC, NMDPRA, NNPC Ltd, state revenue authorities and joint venture partners.

The successful candidate will be expected to interpret and apply Nigeria’s evolving tax and petroleum fiscal framework, including the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, related 2025 tax legislation, the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and minimum effective tax rate rules.

Key Responsibilities

Tax Strategy and Commercial Advisory

The successful candidate will:

• Develop and execute the Group’s tax strategy, subject to executive and Board approval.
• Manage the Group’s effective tax rate, cash tax position and tax forecasts.
• Evaluate tax implications of investments, acquisitions, divestments, financing and restructuring transactions.
• Identify opportunities for applicable tax incentives, allowances, credits and treaty relief.
• Advise the business on tax-efficient operating, financing and holding structures.
• Monitor changes to tax legislation and assess their impact on the Group.

Tax Compliance and Financial Reporting

Responsibilities will include:

• Ensuring timely filing and payment of taxes, royalties, levies and statutory contributions.
• Maintaining tax compliance calendars, controls and escalation procedures.
• Overseeing VAT fiscalisation, e-invoicing and tax disclosures.
• Maintaining accurate and audit-ready tax records.
• Reviewing current and deferred tax provisions under IAS 12.
• Managing tax disclosures, effective tax rate reconciliations and IFRIC 23 requirements.
• Supporting budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting and external audits.

Fiscal and Regulatory Management

The Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy will serve as a key tax representative of the Group in engagements with:

• Revenue authorities.
• Petroleum regulators.
• Joint venture partners.
• Industry bodies and other relevant stakeholders.

The role will also involve advising on royalties, capital allowances, decommissioning obligations, incentives, licences, leases and joint venture arrangements, as well as leading applications for tax rulings, waivers and regulatory approvals.

Tax Risk, Audits and Disputes

The successful candidate will:

• Lead tax audits, investigations, appeals and dispute-resolution processes.
• Manage external tax advisers and legal counsel.
• Develop and maintain the Group’s tax risk register and mitigation plans.
• Strengthen tax controls and compliance processes.
• Manage provisions for uncertain tax positions and contingent liabilities.
• Escalate significant tax and regulatory risks to the CFO.

Transfer Pricing and International Tax

The role also covers:

• Developing and maintaining the Group’s transfer pricing policy.
• Overseeing transfer pricing documentation, filings and Country-by-Country reporting where applicable.
• Advising on cross-border tax transactions and treaty relief.
• Assessing permanent establishment risks.
• Managing expatriate tax and payroll matters in conjunction with HR.
• Monitoring financing, deductibility and offshore tax exposures.

Systems, Governance and Team Leadership

The successful candidate will maintain tax policies, procedures and reporting standards while improving the Group’s tax processes through automation and stronger controls.

Other responsibilities include reconciling tax data with tax returns and financial statements, managing tax advisers and budgets, developing members of the tax team and promoting tax awareness and ethical compliance across the organisation.

Leadership Expectations

Aradel expects the Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy to provide strategic leadership while maintaining high standards of integrity and accountability.

The successful candidate should be able to explain complex tax and fiscal matters clearly to senior management and the Board, negotiate firmly and constructively with regulators and revenue authorities, and identify material risks before they become significant exposures.

The role requires close collaboration with Finance, Legal, Commercial and Operations teams and transparent communication with the CFO on tax exposures, deadlines and regulatory developments.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should have:

• A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Law or a related discipline, with at least a Second Class Upper or equivalent.
• Professional qualifications including ACA (ICAN) or ACCA and CITN.
• 12–15 years of post-qualification experience.
• At least five years in a senior or managerial position leading, or deputising in the leadership of, a tax function.
• Experience in the oil and gas or wider energy sector is preferred.
• Demonstrable knowledge of Nigerian upstream taxation, including Hydrocarbon Tax, Companies Income Tax and/or Petroleum Profits Tax, royalties, capital allowances and PIA fiscal provisions.
• Experience managing tax audits and disputes involving Nigerian revenue authorities through to settlement.
• Practical experience preparing IFRS tax provisions and disclosures for a listed or externally audited group.
• Knowledge of Nigerian transfer pricing documentation and filing requirements.
• Experience managing tax professionals and external advisers.
• Willingness to be based in Lagos and travel to operational locations and Abuja when required.

Additional Qualifications That Will Be an Advantage

Aradel says the following would be desirable:

• An MBA or MSc in Taxation, Finance or Petroleum Economics.
• Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT) or equivalent international tax qualification.
• Experience with multi-jurisdictional tax compliance and international tax planning.
• Knowledge of tax treaties and permanent establishment rules.
• Previous experience in a Big Four or leading tax advisory firm, particularly within an energy or natural resources practice.
• Experience with M&A tax due diligence and structuring in Nigeria’s energy industry.
• Exposure to joint venture and production-sharing contract transactions.
• Experience implementing or reporting under BEPS Pillar Two/minimum effective tax rate rules.
• Knowledge of taxation across the midstream, downstream and gas value chains.
• Familiarity with free-zone tax regimes.
• Participation in professional or industry tax committees.

Technical Skills Required

Candidates should have strong knowledge of Nigerian tax legislation and the country’s current tax reform framework, including the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025 and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025.

Applicants should also understand the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and legacy joint venture and production-sharing contract arrangements, including royalty, cost recovery, capital allowance and decommissioning provisions.

Strong knowledge of IFRS, IAS 12 and IFRIC 23 is required, alongside an understanding of the tax implications of IFRS 3, IFRS 9 and IFRS 13.

The position also requires knowledge of transfer pricing, treaty interpretation, permanent establishment, minimum effective tax rate rules and the ability to build and analyse fiscal and cash-tax models.

Strong Excel financial modelling skills, alongside proficiency in Microsoft Office, SAP, tax reporting systems and data analytics tools, are also expected.

Key Skills and Personal Attributes

Aradel is seeking a candidate with:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to prepare Board-level technical papers.
• Strong leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Sound commercial judgement.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• The ability to manage multiple statutory deadlines under pressure.
• Integrity and ethical judgement.
• Resilience and diplomacy when handling high-stakes negotiations.
• The ability to collaborate effectively across Finance, Legal, Commercial and Operations.
• A strong sense of ownership and accountability.

Job Details

Job Title: Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy
Department: Tax, Finance Group
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Reports to: Chief Financial Officer
Business Unit: Aradel Energy
Job Type: Permanent
Date Posted: September 3, 2026

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should apply through Aradel Holdings’ official careers portal and search for the Head of Tax & Fiscal Strategy vacancy.

Applicants should carefully review the stated qualifications and experience requirements before submitting their applications.