Connect with us

Business

We Laid Strong Foundation For Nigerian Tax System – Ex-FIRS Boss

Published

13 years ago

on

The outgone Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, says a strong foundation has been laid for the Nigerian tax system, in spite of some challenges.

Omoigui-Okauru, who said this at a media briefing last Friday in Abuja, a day after the Presidency announced her successor, commended past federal administrations for making tax reforms a priority project.

She particularly commended former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar’Adua for sustaining the vision for a reformed tax system in Nigeria.

She described President Goodluck Jonathan as “the real tax collector’’ of Nigeria and lauded him for the historic launch of the new National Tax Policy on April 5.

The policy provides the guidelines, rules and regulations that will regulate Nigeria’s tax system, while forming the basis for tax legislation and administration in the country.

A key feature of the policy is the introduction of a unique Tax Identification Number (TIN) – a nationwide electronic database for the registration and storage of data on tax payers in Nigeria.

Omoigui-Okauru said that the achievements of FIRS in the last eight-years included a remarkable increase in tax collection, which quadrupled between 2004 and 2012.

“Tax collection in FIRS has grown astronomically from slightly below N1.2 trillion (about $7.9b) when we came into office in 2004, to over N4.6 trillion (over $30bn) in 2011.

“This represents growth on both oil and non-oil revenue,’’ according to a brief that was circulated to the media. Omoigui-Okauru attributed the success of her administration to the overwhelming support she received from state governors, the National Assembly, the judiciary, the media, the board and members of FIRS staff.

She recalled that FIRS developed a harmonised tax reform agenda in October 2004, which paved the way for the development of the Medium Term Strategic Plan for the agency, spanning 2004 to 2007, 2008 to 2011 and 2012 to 2015.

“In FIRS, we have been driven by plans and we introduced a very strong performance management culture.

“We just don’t plan, we monitor the plan,’’ she told reporters in her last media briefing as FIRS chairman.

Omoigui-Okauru, who also doubled as Chairman of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), conceded that tax evasion still plagued Nigeria, like many developed and developing countries.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Business

Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

Published

1 day ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

Continue Reading

Business

NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

Published

1 day ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
Continue Reading

Business

FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

Published

1 day ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
Continue Reading

Trending