Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has automatically become a tax ID for Nigerians.
The development comes in the wake of conversations surrounding a provision of the tax laws mandating a Tax ID for bank account ownership.
Speaking in a public awareness campaign on the new tax laws posted on X, the FIRS maintained that for registered businesses, the RC number issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) automatically becomes their tax ID under the new tax system.
Truth Live News Media reports that an RC Number is a unique identifier, usually standing for Registration Certificate Number, most commonly referring to a Nigerian business’s unique ID from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
It added that the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), scheduled to come into force from January 2026, mandates the use of Tax ID for certain transactions, according to the campaign.
The Service said that the requirement has been in place since the Finance Act 2019 and has been strengthened under the NTAA.
“The Tax ID unifies all TINS previously issued by FIRS and states IRS into a single identifier.
“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used.
“You do not need a physical card; the Tax ID is a unique number linked directly to your identity,” the FIRS said.