BRASS Launches Independent Tax Volunteers to Boost Tax Education and Compliance Nationwide

The Budget Advocacy and Reforms Association (BRASS) has launched the Independent Tax Volunteers (ITV) Programme aimed at improving tax education and strengthening voluntary compliance across Nigeria.

Project Lead, Prof. Abdullahi Ya’u, announced this during a press conference at the NUJ Chapel in Kano. He said the initiative seeks to address the widespread lack of knowledge about tax obligations among individuals, small businesses, and operators in the informal sector.

Prof. Ya’u explained that many Nigerians are willing to comply with tax laws but lack access to accurate information and guidance. He added that tax authorities also face capacity gaps that limit their ability to reach all taxpayers.

The ITV Programme, he said, will recruit, train, and deploy volunteers nationwide to provide free tax education in communities, markets, schools and local government areas.

Volunteers will help individuals and small businesses with TIN registration, basic filing procedures and digital onboarding on platforms such as TaxPro Max and state e-tax systems.

They will also offer on-the-spot advisory services to MSMEs, support record-keeping, and run physical and digital helpdesks including WhatsApp and mobile app channels.

A key feature of the programme is its role in gathering taxpayer feedback to help FIRS, State Internal Revenue Services and local governments improve service delivery. Prof. Ya’u noted that insights from communities will support data-driven decisions and strengthen trust in the tax system.

According to him, the initiative is timely as governments intensify efforts to raise internally generated revenue. He stressed that sustainable revenue growth depends on fairness, transparency and voluntary compliance, not coercion.

Under the first phase, the programme plans to recruit 7,500 volunteers, reach about 500,000 taxpayers annually, establish local hubs, and build partnerships with educational institutions, civil society groups and business associations.

All volunteers will also be listed in the Independent Register of Community Services (IRCS), a global database that provides verifiable proof of civic service and enhances professional credibility.

Prof. Ya’u called on FIRS, State IRS agencies, local governments, tertiary institutions, market leaders and development partners to support the programme. He urged the media to help amplify the importance of tax education.

He said the ITV Programme will help build a tax system that citizens understand and trust, ultimately contributing to national development.

Prof. Ya’u thanked the media and stakeholders for their partnership and reaffirmed BRASS’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s revenue reforms.