L-R: Mrs Dapo Awolowo, Head, Office of the Special Adviser on Media to the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Mr. Dare Adekanmbi, the Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman; Mr. Charles Okonji, National Chairman, Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN); Mr. Femi Olarinde, Special Adviser on Tax Policy; and Mr. Sikiru Akinola, Technical Assistant, (Media) at the FIRS media parley with CICAN members in Lagos on Thursday July 11, 2024.
By Valentine Amanze
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has surpassed its 2023 revenue target of N11.55 trillion as it hits N12.36 trillion.
It also achieved 81 per cent of the collection of first quarter 2024 amounting to N3.94 trillion, being an all-time highest in the same quarter and 56 per cent higher than Q1 2023.
All these and more were achieved within the first year in office of the chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji.
The revelation was made by the Mr. Dare Adekanmbi, the Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman, at the media parley with Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN) members in Lagos on Thursday July 11, 2024.
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Adekanmbi also said that FIRS integrated nine new modules on its tax administration system, while automating over 80 per cent of manual processes.
Adekanmbi attributed the progress so far to revolutionalising of tax office operation into a streamlined “One stop shop,” catering to diverse taxpayers by their categories: Large taxpayer, Medium taxpayer and Small taxpayer.
“This has improved customer satisfaction and has significantly reduced customer complaints between the 4th quarter of 2023 and the 1st quarter of 2024.
“We also achieved remarkable success in simplifying tax processes by offering personalised services and enhancing tax education.
“We increase tax compliance by 20%; launched the National Single Window initiative which aims to spur economic growth, providing business enterprises with effortless access to the global market by facilitating fast and easy operation at the nation’s port while harmonising and improving government revenue,” he said.
He also said that FIRS improved the tax compliance of international shipping companies lifting crude oil in Nigeria.
Recall that the federal government mandated FIRS to assess, collect and account for revenue accruable to the Nigerian Federation, and administer relevant tax laws.
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