L-R: Mrs Dapo Awolowo (Head, Office of the Special Adviser on Media to the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS); Mr. Dare Adekanmbi (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 Emmanuel Udodinma
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has said it has enrolled over 170,000 tax payers into the tax net since the current Chairman, Zacch Adedeji took over the leadership of the organisation.
The Special Adviser to the Chairman FIRS on Tax Policy, Mr. Femi Olarinde made the disclosure in Lagos during a media briefing the agency organised in Lagos for Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria.
Also in the team were Mr Dare Adekanmbi (Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman), Mr. Sikiru Akinola (Technical Assistant, Media) and Mrs. Dapo Awolowo (Head, Office of the Special Adviser on Media to the Chairman.
Olarinde while making presentation at the event, said FIRS has revolutionised its operations under the strategic tripod of –people, technology and process.
He said taxpayers have become the focal point in which their fears and needs concerning tax are meant, while deploying cutting edge technology and improved process, saving time and addressing inconveniences hitherto faced by taxpayers.
“FIRS has integrated nine new modules on our tax administration system called TaxProMax, which has automated over 80 per cent of manual processes.
“We have also revolutionalised 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.
“Since September last year when the new Chairman came on board, FIRS has brought additional over 170,000 new tax payers into the tax net.”
Olarinde disclosed that FIRS achieved 107 per cent of 2023 revenue target of N11.55Tr by collecting N12.36Tr, adding that it has already achieved 81per cent of the collection of first quarter 2024 amounting to 3.94Tr being an all-time highest in the same quarter and 56% higher than Q1 2023.
