A Northern group, Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), has commended Mr. Tunde Fowler, Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), for the sterling performance of the service, which it described as “unprecedented record in the history of tax administration in Nigeria”.
The group gave the commendation on Monday when members of its National Executive Council paid a courtesy visit to FIRS headquarters in Abuja. The group listed the indices of the record performance as including the expansion of the country’s taxpayer base, inauguration of the new Taxpayer Identification Number Registration System and deployment of online solutions to ease tax payment.
AYF National President, Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, promised that the group will continue to support initiatives being implemented by the Service.
“It is on record that from your appointment till date, and with the support of your hardworking Management team and staff, Mr. Fowler has, among other things, achieved the expansion of our national tax base from 10 million to 20 million with a potential increase to 45 million; increase States’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by over 46.11 percent from N800bn in 2016 to N1.16 trillion in 2018”, Gunjugu said. He added that for the first time in history, the Federal Government paid all 15 years outstanding PAYE tax liabilities to MDAs and the country moved up positively by 25 points in tax administration section of World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business.
He also noted that the FIRS achieved a record collection of N5.32 trillion in 2018, during which non-oil revenue accounted for almost 54 per cent of total revenue collection.