A Life in Tax-The Tax Map: How I Saved a Client Millions of US Dollars with a Plan, Not a Prayer. It was a Monday morning in Lagos. The kind of morning where the coffee brews itself because the workload doesn’t wait. I had just stepped into the office when I got a call from an old client, Mr. Dapo — CEO of a fast-growing fintech company. “Tunji,” he said, “we're planning to expand into five African countries. I need to make sure we’re not walking into a tax mess. Can we talk?” My fingers instinctively reached for a blank sheet. I knew this wasn’t just another compliance check. This was tax planning — the real kind. The kind that requires not just brains, but balance. Step 1: The Diagnosis — Know Thy Client We sat down the next day, and I asked, “Walk me through your business model.” He did. And I listened — not just for the numbers, but for the story behind the numbers. Where was revenue coming from? How were the services delivered? Who owned what IP? Only then did I open my tax toolbox. “You’re subject to Companies Income Tax, Value Added Tax, Withholding Tax, and potentially Transfer Pricing rules in some countries you are eyeing,” I said. “Let’s get you ready.” Step 2: The Tax Health Check — What Lies Beneath Back at the office, my team and I ran a tax health check. Their last three years of filings showed no major red flags, but there were provisions in the books that FIRS would frown upon. Deferred taxes hadn’t been reconciled properly. Worse, no risk register existed. Lesson: You can’t plan forward until you clean up the past. Step 3: The Goalpost — What Do You Want to Achieve? “Why the expansion?” I asked. “To scale. And attract investors,” he said. So we aligned the tax plan with business goals: keep the company investor-ready, ensure tax efficiency, and avoid liabilities in new markets. Step 4: The Treasure Hunt — Where’s the Savings? Then came the fun part. Pioneer status? Possible — the new AI platform qualified for IT tax incentives. Group structuring? We proposed a holding company in Mauritius with proper substance. Intellectual property location? Shift it to a jurisdiction with a better DTT (Double Tax Treaty) rate. Capital allowance? We accelerated depreciation on eligible software and hardware. “There's gold in the tax laws,” I told him. “You just need the right map.” Step 5: Scenario Planning — What If…? We built models. What if they entered Kenya first? What if revenue grew 50% in two years? What if exchange rates dropped? Every plan was tested with numbers, not guesses. “Better to panic now on Excel than explain losses to your board later,” I joked. Step 6: The Playbook — Document Everything We drafted a tax policy manual, covering everything from filing responsibilities to intercompany pricing. “It’s like your company’s book for taxes,” I explained. “If FIRS knocks, this is your first defense.” Step 7: Action Time — Make the Moves Applications were filed, registrations done, new agreements drafted. We even trained their finance team on tax-efficient procurement and booking of expenses. Everything documented. Everything legal. Step 8: Eyes on the Law — Stay Updated Few months later, the new Finance Act came out. VAT on digital services had been expanded. We adjusted the plan to stay ahead. “Tax planning isn’t a one-time shot,” I reminded Dapo. “It’s a series.” Step 9: Compliance Culture — Build it Daily We created a compliance calendar, installed alerts, and ensured quarterly reviews. I told the CFO, “The best tax plans are the ones you don’t have to hide.” Step 10: Review and Repeat — A Living Strategy Six months later, Dapo called again. This time, from Kigali. “We’re good to go in East Africa,” he said. “And the investors are impressed with our tax position.” I smiled. “Tax planning isn't magic. It’s method. And a bit of foresight.” Final Reflection In this life in tax, I’ve learned that the true tax strategist is not just a calculator of numbers — but a mapmaker. One who helps businesses walk safely between profit and penalty. So, when next you hear “tax planning,” don’t just think deductions. Think direction. Olatunji Abdulrazaq CNA, ACTI, ACIArb(UK) Founder/CEO, Taxmobile.Online