The Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Mr Zacch Adedeji, has stressed the urgent need for wider technology integration across Nigeria’s tax agencies, saying digital tools are essential to transforming the country’s tax administration.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja at a stakeholder engagement forum organised by the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT‑IRS), Adedeji said technology was no longer optional but critical to improving efficiency, transparency and accountability in revenue collection. The forum, themed “Harmonising Revenue Systems and Implementing New Tax Laws,” brought together tax officials and key stakeholders to discuss Nigeria’s evolving fiscal landscape.
Adedeji, represented by the Executive Secretary of the Joint Revenue Board, Mr Olusegun Philip Adesokan, urged sub‑national tax authorities to adopt digital solutions that can enhance compliance, reduce revenue leakages, and strengthen institutional capacity. He highlighted the Federal Government’s sweeping fiscal reforms, designed to modernise tax architecture and support sustainable public finance management under President Bola Tinubu.
Recall that last year, the government launched a national electronic fiscal platform, including an e‑invoicing system, to improve tax transparency and curb evasion. Since August 2025, more than 1,000 large taxpayers have integrated into the system, giving tax authorities real‑time visibility of commercial transactions.
In addition, the NRS announced a phased rollout of its Merchant Buyer Solution (MBS) electronic fiscal system to further strengthen tax reporting and compliance. Officials say this technology‑driven framework will make it harder for businesses to under‑report transactions and easier for the agency to capture accurate revenue data.
At the forum, Mr Michael Ango, Acting Executive Chairman of the FCT‑IRS, said predictable and reliable revenue remains central to financing infrastructure, security and public services, the backbone of a liveable capital city.
Ango emphasised that enforcement action would be a last resort, with the priority being voluntary compliance supported by digital innovation.
Mrs Chinwe Ndu, Director of Taxpayers Services, added that the engagement was crucial for building a shared understanding of the new tax laws and improving the ease of doing business within the FCT.
She said cooperation, rather than confusion, is essential to crafting a practical and effective tax framework.
“Tax thrives on collaboration rather than confusion. Our goal is to craft and implement a tax framework that is both pragmatic and practicable,” Ndu said.
