According to columnist Aderonke Atoyebi, 2025 was “a great and rewarding year” for Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) under its Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji. The agency shifted from planning to action with major reforms and achieved significant milestones.
FIRS met and even exceeded many of its tax revenue targets in 2025. It reported impressive collections with over ₦20.6 trillion collected between January and August, and totals rising further to about ₦22.6 trillion by September signaling strong performance relative to its annual targets.
Four major tax reform laws were signed in 2025, including the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, transforming FIRS into the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) with broader powers and improved autonomy. These reforms harmonize tax laws, expand mandates, and simplify the regulatory framework for taxpayers.
The agency implemented new tech systems such as a national electronic invoicing system for large taxpayers and improvements in digital tax administration which helped boost compliance, reduce human errors, and increase visibility over business tax activity.
FIRS strengthened staff recruitment, training, and welfare policies, enhancing institutional capacity. This includes transparent recruitment drives and skill development initiatives across states.
The tax reforms signed in 2025 are set to take full effect from January 1, 2026, promising clearer tax procedures, faster services, stronger compliance, and expanded use of technology to make the tax system more efficient and taxpayer-friendly.
FIRS leadership continues to garner support amid challenges civil society groups have defended Dr. Adedeji’s integrity and performance against unfounded allegations, highlighting the importance of his reform agenda.
FIRS has also indicated that the full impact of the 2025 tax reforms will become even clearer in 2026 as implementation deepens.
Overall, 2025 is widely reported including by Atoyebi’s piece as a breakthrough year for FIRS under Zacch Adedeji’s leadership, marked by:
Record tax revenue performance,
Significant tax law reforms,
Technology modernization, and
Institutional strengthening.
These developments are positioning Nigeria’s revenue service for further improvements in 2026 and beyond.
Post a Comment
Leave a Reply