Stakeholders have called for the adoption of digital transformation in revenue collection to enhance Nigeria’s economic growth.
The call was made at the Northern Revenue Conference held in Kano State, North-West Nigeria, with the ‘Readiness, Reforms, and Digital Transformation’.
They noted that the adoption of digital tools in some states has yielded positive outcomes, citing recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicating significant improvement in revenue generation.
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, said the Nigerian Government’s ongoing tax reforms are aimed at boosting Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and strengthening subnational economies across the country.
Represented by the Secretary, Joint Tax Board (JTB), Mr Adesokan Olusegun, the FIRS boss said the reforms aimed to simplify tax processes, promote voluntary compliance, and create a fair and transparent tax system.
Adedeji said the Nigeria Tax Administration (Provisions) Act was one of the country’s most significant fiscal reforms, targeted at improving efficiency, transparency, and equity in tax administration.
He explained that “the integration of Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) across federal, state, and local governments as a major step toward harmonizing taxpayer databases and enhancing real-time data sharing.”
According him, the joint tax board was working with state governments to align local tax laws with the new Act to curb multiple taxation and support subnational economies.
The FIRS Chairman said that the service had developed a Tax Harmonisation and Evaluation Framework and initiated capacity-building programmes for state revenue authorities to enhance institutional efficiency.
He also called on the state Governors to grant autonomy to their revenue agencies as provided in the new tax law, describing it as “key to building a fair, efficient, and transparent tax system.”
On his part, the Chairman, Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), Dr Zaid Abubakar, said the conference marked a new phase in tax administration in Northern Nigeria.
Abubakar urged the state revenue agencies to embrace digital transformation and institutional reforms in line with the evolving national tax system.
He said; “the 2025 reforms required precision, digital competence and bold leadership to enhance efficiency and service delivery…The era of guesswork in tax administration is over.”
KIRS boss call on the participants to use the forum to exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration for a more efficient and taxpayer-friendly system.
Meanwhile, the Kano State government said its revenue generation has doubled, attributing the success to its commitment towards strengthening the state’s economy.
Mercy Chukwudiebere