The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, has rejected concerns that the four tax bills currently before the National Assembly would undermine the operations of government revenue-generating agencies.
In a statement issued by the FIRS on Wednesday, Adedeji, speaking at a meeting in Abuja with heads of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), called such concerns “misplaced.”
Addressing rumors that the proposed renaming of FIRS to the Nigeria Revenue Service might lead to the takeover of other agencies, Adedeji clarified that the reforms were designed to improve fiscal efficiency, not reduce agency roles. He emphasized that the changes would streamline the nation’s fiscal framework and enhance the effectiveness of revenue collection.
“There is nothing in the bills that will diminish your funding or effectiveness,” Adedeji assured the agency heads. “Rather, these reforms will lay a stronger foundation for your sustainability and ensure that agencies can focus on their core mandates without being distracted by revenue collection.”
The reforms, he explained, are part of the broader strategy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration to harmonize Nigeria’s tax laws and create a more efficient fiscal system.
Adedeji added that the bills, once passed, would help align tax provisions embedded in various agency laws, ensuring seamless implementation and supporting the country’s economic competitiveness. He emphasized that Nigeria must modernize its tax framework to attract global investment and improve ease of doing business.
He concluded by stressing that the ultimate goal of the reforms is to update the tax system to reflect current realities and stimulate economic growth.
