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*May introduce single agency to handle collection
Following the plans by the Federal Government to introduce a single agency — Nigeria Revenue Service — to handle the task of revenue collection, President Bola Tinubu may bar revenue-generating agencies from collecting revenues on behalf of the government.
The development became pertinent following the Federal Government institution of comprehensive set of fresh tax reforms aimed at significantly boosting revenue collection.
The reform is designed to enhance the efficiency of collecting direct taxes, along with various levies that are imposed on behalf of the government.
The reform will bar the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, and 60 other revenue collecting agencies from participating in revenue collection activities, but will lead to the creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service.
This change is expected to aid in the streamlining of tax collection process to ensure that all taxable entities contribute their fair share and that the revenue generated is maximised to support public services and infrastructure development.
The policy directive was instituted on Thursday when the President forwarded four executive bills to the National Assembly for consideration, aiming to implement significant tax reforms.
Nigeria is contending with a revenue challenge that cuts across all government tiers but wants to attain a minimum tax-to-GDP ratio of 18 per cent. The country’s tax-to-GDP ratio is below Africa’s average and ranks as one of the lowest in the world.
The development has led to fiscal deficit and over-reliance on borrowing to finance public spending resulting in a cycle of inadequate funding for socio-economic development.
One of the key proposals is the renaming of the Federal Inland Revenue Service to the Nigeria Revenue Service.
A source at the Presidency, however, hinted that the new bill would not lead to a merger but seek to remove the revenue collection arm from the agencies and allocate its function to the Nigerian Revenue Service.
The official said, “There is no merger of agencies. The bill will only take the revenue collection arm of each agency involved and take it to the Nigerian Revenue Service.
“The plan is that the new revenue agency will be like the US or UK revenue agency that collects all government revenues while other revenue agencies like NIMASA, NPA, Customs, etc, will now focus on their core mandate, which is trade facilitation. There is no merger at all."
The bill seeking the name change for FIRS was outlined in a letter read by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during the plenary sessions.
The proposed law, titled, 'the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill', seeks to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act No. 13, 2007, and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service.
According to Tinubu, the new agency will be responsible for assessing, collecting, and accounting for revenue accruing to the government.
In addition to the name change, Tinubu submitted three other tax reform bills under the title, ‘Transmission of Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bills’ to the National Assembly.
The President also transmitted to the parliament the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which seeks to create a Tax Tribunal and a Tax Ombudsman.
He wrote, “The Nigeria Tax Bill seeks to provide a consolidated fiscal framework for taxation in the country.
“The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill aims at offering a clear and concise legal framework; this bill will ensure the fair, consistent, and efficient administration of tax laws, facilitating ease of tax compliance, reducing disputes, and optimising revenue collection.
“The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill: This proposal seeks to establish the Joint Revenue Board, the Tax Appeal Tribunal, and the Office of the Tax Ombudsman, which will work to harmonise, coordinate, and resolve disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria.”
Tinubu emphasised that the proposed tax law would have far-reaching benefits for the country, promoting taxpayer compliance, strengthening fiscal institutions, and fostering a more effective and transparent fiscal regime.
