16.Deferred income tax

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Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to set off current tax assets against current tax liabilities and when the deferred income taxes relate to the same fiscal authority and are classified on a net basis within either deferred tax assets or deferred tax liabilities. These net country amounts are aggregated according to their asset or liability position and presented as then aggregated in the statement of financial position:

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The Group recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that it is probable that sufficient future taxable profits will arise against which these deductible temporary differences can be utilized. As of December 31, 2023, a net deferred tax asset of $57.9 million has been recognized with respect to the Brazil tower business, which includes tax losses and other deductible temporary differences. The Group has performed an assessment of recovery of deferred tax assets for this entity using forecasted future taxable profits and considers that it is probable that sufficient future taxable profits will arise against which these losses and deductible temporary differences can be utilized.

Deferred tax is measured at the tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences when they reverse, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date, and reflects uncertainty related to income taxes, if any.

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*Re-presented to reflect the remeasurement period adjustments, as required by IFRS 3, in respect of updates to the accounting for the MTN SA Acquisition in May 2022.

**Re-presented following adoption of IAS 12. Refer to note 2.1.1 above for further information.

Deferred income tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and tax losses carried forward only to the extent that the realization of the related tax benefits are expected to be met through the reversal of taxable temporary differences and future taxable profits. The Group has $2.4 billion (2022: $1.8 billion, 2021: $1.8 billion) in deductible temporary differences for which no deferred tax is recognized. The amounts due to expire primarily relate to excess finance costs in Nigeria. Amounts due to expire on December 31, 2024, December 31, 2025, December 31, 2026 and December 31, 2027, respectively, are as follows: $91.1 million (2022: $222.3 million, 2021: $230.9 million), $138.9 million (2022: $180.0 million, 2021: $191.0 million), $63.6 million (2022: $274.3 million, 2021: $298.1) and $39.4 million (2022: $99.4 million, 2021: $Nil).

As of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, there were $6.5 million, $122.2 million and $104.9 million, respectively, of temporary differences associated with undistributed earnings of subsidiaries, of which deferred tax liabilities have not been recognized.