The Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, has said that 50 per cent of the federally generated revenue comes from Lagos State.
Mrs. Omoigui-Okauru made the statement, during the 3rd Steering Group Meeting of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) in Abuja.
She hinted that it was due to its vast nature and the multiple tax system spanning the federal states and the local governments, adding that it is quite challenging to collect taxes in the country.
“In every five persons in Africa is a Nigerian, this tells you the kind of market. Some of you came through Lagos. Lagos was our former federal capital, but remains the commercial capital of Nigeria.
“We could say close to 50 per cent of our tax revenue comes from Lagos and Lagos is just one of the 36 states. Now, that gives you an idea of the various challenges we have in taxation. Even in terms of our tax systems for those of you who are here, the Federal Inland Revenue Service looks at federal taxes and thus provides the voice and face for Nigeria. But apart from the federal taxes, we have states taxes; we have local government taxes, so we have quite a wider range of different groups”, she said.
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Mansar Muhtar, noted that the ATAF initiative, which was conceived at the International Conference on Taxation, State Building and Capacity Development in Africa, held in Pretoria, South Africa, August, last year, is already driving the continent somewhere.