The Nigerian government has filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange Binance, suing it for $81 billion. According to documents filed in court, Binance is accused of failing to properly monitor crypto asset transactions, resulting in significant financial losses for investors. Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said Binance has a “significant economic presence” in Nigeria and unpaid taxes from 2022 and 2023.
The lawsuit is seeking $2 billion in taxes and $79 billion in economic damages for the alleged collapse of Nigeria’s local fiat currency.
The FIRS is also reportedly seeking 26.75% interest on the taxes the company is owed, and continues to claim that the exchange played a major role in driving down the value of the Nigerian naira in the forex markets. Nigerian regulators insist that Binance must compensate for the damage caused to the country's citizens and introduce stricter transparency standards.
Binance representatives have not yet given an official comment, but experts note that such a lawsuit could become a precedent for tightening global regulation of the cryptocurrency market. This lawsuit demonstrates the growing concern of governments around the world about the security and transparency of digital asset transactions.