NRS to Build Tax System That Supports and Drives Economic Growth in Nigeria— Adedeji

By Ladan Nasidi,Kano

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) says it will continue to strengthen taxpayer education, simplify tax processes and deploy digital solutions to build a tax system that supports businesses and promotes economic growth in Nigeria.

The Executive Chairman of the NRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji, stated this on
Thursday in Kano during a town hall meeting organised for medium and emerging taxpayers.

The meeting was themed, “Tax Reform, Rev360 and E-Invoicing: Shaping the Future of Compliance for Medium and Emerging Taxpayers.”

Represented by the Group Director, Government Business, Mr Wande Akinpelu, Adedeji said the Service was committed to making tax administration simpler, more transparent and predictable for taxpayers.

“For our part, the Nigeria Revenue Service will continue to improve taxpayer education, simplify processes, deploy useful digital solutions and engage directly with taxpayers.

“Our job is to collect the revenue due under the law, but we must also make it as clear and convenient as possible for taxpayers to meet their obligations,” he said.

According to him, the ongoing tax reforms are aimed at changing how taxpayers interact with the tax system, including registration, filing, payment, obtaining support and resolving issues with the Service.

He said the objective was to create a system that taxpayers could easily understand and comply with.

“The direction is straightforward. We want a system that is simpler to understand, easier to comply with, more transparent in its operation and more predictable for businesses,” Adedeji said.

The NRS chairman stressed that effective tax administration could not be achieved through enforcement alone, noting that trust, quality service and continuous engagement with taxpayers were equally important.

“We want to know where the difficulties are. We want to understand what needs clarification and what can be improved.

“The practical experience of taxpayers must inform the way these reforms are implemented,” he said.

Adedeji further explained that taxpayers’ understanding and participation were critical to the success of the reforms.

“Good policy can only achieve its purpose when the people expected to comply with it understand it and can work with it.

“That is why your participation today matters. Your questions and your experience will help us implement these reforms better,” he said.

He said Rev360, one of the digital initiatives under the reforms, was designed to bring key taxpayer services together and make registration, filing, payment and interaction with the Service more accessible.

According to him, the E-Invoicing system is also expected to improve the quality and accuracy of transaction information, reduce avoidable disputes and enhance the efficiency of tax administration.

“Rev360 is intended to bring key taxpayer services together so that registration, filing, payment and interaction with the Service become more straightforward and accessible.

“E-Invoicing is also designed to improve the quality and accuracy of transaction information, reduce avoidable disputes and support a more efficient tax administration,” Adedeji said.

Also speaking, the Group Director, Emerging Taxpayers Group, Mr Olufemi Oyebanji, said the town hall meeting was organised to provide taxpayers with an opportunity to share their concerns and challenges with the Service.

Oyebanji said the feedback from taxpayers would help the NRS address challenges affecting compliance and ultimately improve government revenue.

One of the participants, Mr Suleiman Abdullahi of Gerawa Rice Mills, Kano, said the forum would help address some of the challenges businesses face in meeting their tax obligations.

Abdullahi urged taxpayers to continue to pay their taxes as and when due, stressing that government revenue was necessary for the execution of development projects and improvement of citizens’ living conditions.