The federal government of Nigeria does not need to worry about how to collect its various revenues, as several electronic platform options are currently available to all the ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs], which government has mandated to collect its revenues. Deremi Atanda, electronic payment expert and executive director, Systemspecs, made the assertion recently at the 2015 E-Government Summit, which has the theme “Key to Sustainable Development” in Abuja. Atanda noted that there are several challenges experienced by government MDAs which has to do with how to implement the Federal Government electronic payment policy.
Speaking during the technical session of the event with focus on how to “design and implement electronic payment platform for government revenue collection”, the expert said that electronic collection completes the cycle of processing government transaction electronically. Therefore, “six electronic platform options are available to MDAs in Nigeria”. According to Atanda, these six available electronic platform options are “bank branches, internet banking, point of sales, debit and credit cards, mobile wallet, and micro finance banks”. The benefits of these platforms are far reaching. According to him, “these options give government revenue collectors 168 hours instead of 35 hours a week. It increased collection channels at almost zero cost and provides reliable and verifiable data for planning.”
He added that the MDAs, through these platform options would get “improved service delivery, access to comprehensive and timely reports as well as expanded business opportunities, which would ultimately improve revenue”, he concluded.
Ben Uzor
