FIRS Urges Nigerians To Embrace Taxes For National Growth

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has urged Nigerians to see tax payment not as a punishment but as a civic duty that drives national development.

The call was made during a sensitisation programme in Kaduna on Wednesday, focusing on the role of the media in promoting voluntary tax compliance.

FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji, represented by his aide Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, explained that taxes provide the funds for hospitals, schools, roads, and other essential services. He noted that many citizens still view taxation as a burden, stressing that building trust and accountability would encourage more voluntary compliance.

He pointed to the media as a critical link between government and the people, capable of simplifying tax procedures and holding leaders accountable. According to him, when citizens believe the system is fair and transparent, they are more likely to pay taxes without resistance.

At the event, Dr. Mohammed Adamu delivered a paper on voluntary tax compliance, describing it as the readiness of taxpayers to declare income, file returns, and pay taxes without enforcement. He explained that such compliance lowers enforcement costs, sustains revenue, fosters patriotism, and boosts investor confidence.

Adamu identified fairness, transparency, education, and accountability as key drivers of compliance. He commended innovations like the FIRS TaxPro Max platform, amnesty programmes, and taxpayer service units as steps that could improve trust in the system.

In another presentation, Ishaku Ankuma of the Kaduna Government Business Office outlined practical steps for compliance. He listed proper registration, record-keeping, timely filing, and prompt remittance of taxes as necessary measures. He warned that failure to comply attracts fines, interests, and possible legal consequences, noting that compliance certificates are now required for many financial dealings.

He also encouraged early education of young Nigerians through school-based programmes to instill a culture of tax responsibility. He described voluntary compliance as both a legal duty and an act of patriotism, urging individuals and businesses to contribute to national growth through proper tax payment.

The sensitisation ended with a call on journalists to demystify taxation, educate the public, expose evasion, and shape opinion in support of a stronger culture of compliance.