International Monetary Fund (IMF) acknowledged the contributions of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria’s tax reforms, particularly ongoing reforms at the revenue agency.

IMF Senior Economist, Fiscal Affairs Department, Paulo Paz, gave the commendation at the opening of the IMF-supported Headquarters Mission at the FIRS Head Office in Abuja.

Paz specifically hailed the agency for recording significant progress in its core duties under its Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji.

He pledged the fund’s continued support for the revenue service in delivering effective tax administration for the growth and development of the country.

Paz praised the “good work that FIRS has been providing to the citizens” under Adedeji.

The IMF team was in the country to explore areas it could further support the service in addressing the challenges that might arise, particularly with the recently signed tax laws, according to a statement by Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS Chairman, Mr. Dare Adekanmbi.

The IMF senior economist pointed out that the new tax laws had fresh implications for the country.

He said, “We want to know how we can best support you with this new challenge. Our take on the four tax laws is, first, a recognition of the very good work that FIRS has been providing to the citizens.

“You have at the same time the recognition and new responsibilities with these very powerful laws, which will increase the relevance of the tax administration in Nigeria.

“I want to express our honour of being here and being a partner of FIRS. Thank you for your trust in our advice. We congratulate you for the good results so far. There is more to come, and we are here to help.”

Adedeji, while welcoming the visitors, applauded IMF for journeying with the tax body. He said the relationship would continue when the agency transited to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) next year.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Tayo Koleosho, Adedeji lauded IMF’s collaboration with FIRS in portfolio management and compliance programme.  

Adedeji said, “IMF has gone on this journey with us, and I think we are in a good place to continue the journey together.

“We are working together either in digital transformation, VAT automation, looking at even the compliance programme and ability to automate some of those things.

“I am interested in corporate plan and the nexus of data portfolio management so that we have our strategy being dissolved into those manageable tasks. It’s very important that those things are well.”

In her remarks, Coordinating Director, Corporate Services Group, FIRS, Mrs. Bolaji Akintola, explained that IMF had been a critical stakeholder in the service’s journey towards tax system reforms targeted at improving domestic revenue mobilisation. 

Akintola said FIRS, with the support of IMF, conducted two systemic evaluation exercises using the Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool (TADAT) between 2018 and 2023.

She said, “Each of these exercises was followed by a post-TADAT mission, where a reform roadmap was developed to address the systemic weaknesses that were uncovered by the assessment.

“The fact that the results of the 2023 TADAT showed significant improvement on those of 2018 is indicative of the commitment of the Service towards institutional excellence.

“Let me assure you that if another TADAT is conducted today, the result will be better than that of 2023 because a good number of the weak indicators from the 2023 Performance Assessment Report have been addressed and some have been codified in the four tax reform laws recently signed by President Bola Tinubu.”

 James Emejo

Follow us on: