The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have renewed commitment of closer collaboration for strengthening Nigeria’s tax compliance framework and safeguarding public revenue.
Executive Chairman of the FIRS Dr Zacch Adedeji, while on a visit to the headquarters of the EFCC said inter-agency cooperation was critical to sustaining financial stability and building trust in the country’s revenue system.
NewsQuest reports that the partnership is part of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed effort to boost non-oil revenue, enhance fiscal discipline, and build public trust in tax administration by combining enforcement with preventive measures to reduce revenue leakages and promote transparency.
According to Dr. Adedeji, “We cannot pursue 200 million Nigerians individually to do the right thing, but we want to put a system in place that will aid compliance.”
“You can help us by letting people know that when they violate the law, there is a place you can keep them. On behalf of the President and Nigerians, we thank you for your support and seek even deeper cooperation,” Adedeji said.
The FIRS chief executive explained that compliance would only improve if Nigerians continue to see tangible results from taxes.
“The main advertisement of voluntary compliance is when people begin to see what we use the money we collect for. In achieving that goal, you are critical, not just in arresting defaulters but in supporting our Department of Fraud Risk, Assessment and Control to ensure value for money.”
He credited Nigeria’s success in meeting its revenue target to preventive strategies and partnerships with agencies like the EFCC, saying the achievement was ‘a collective effort, not one by FIRS alone.’
In his remarks, the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, assured Adedeji of continuous collaboration.
“Collaboration is very key. When they see EFCC beside FIRS, that will send a signal to the public that it is no longer business as usual,” he said.
Olukoyede said that a recent Court of Appeal judgement affirming EFCC’s authority to investigate tax fraud, a ruling he described as a major boost to their mandate.
“We are not assessors of tax liabilities, but we can investigate non-compliance and push assessment issues back to you. Our duty remains prevention, investigation and prosecution of financial crimes. Synergy is therefore essential.”
Both leaders pledged to consolidate their working relationship, reinforcing preventive measures and voluntary compliance as pillars of Nigeria’s tax system.
