The Federal Government on Thursday held the South East regional flag-off for the new national Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) registration system in Awka, Anambra State capital.
Tunde Fowler, chairman of Joint Tax Board (JTB), at the event said the new TIN system which took effect on July 1, 2019 is geared towards reinforcing the commendable efforts of the administration towards building a robust tax-revenue compliance while ensuring a sustainable and inclusive economy for all Nigerians.
He commended the partners and collaborating agencies as well as the consultants for their cooperation and professionalism leading to the reality of the event in Anambra state.
Fowler said the economic policies of the Federal Government focused on establishing a stable foundation for further socio-economic growth and development are achievable with the achievement not only in tax revenue but in the environment of doing business.
Fowler, who is also the executive chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said some accomplishments over the last four years include expansion of the tax base from 10 million to 20 million taxpayers with the potential for an increase to 45 million before the end of the year.
Others are exponential growth in the IGR at the subnational level by 46.11 percent from N800.01 billion in 2016 to N1.16 trillion in 2018; growth of FIRS collections by 53.81 percent from N3.30 trillion being the highest collection ever in the history of the agency, and non-oil revenue, with a collection of N2.85 trillion, accounted for 54 percent of total revenue collection.
“We are confident that this gesture by the Federal Government will encourage state governments to also reciprocate and promptly remit all withholding taxes and VAT due to the federation account,” Fowler said.
He said the consistent upward progression in the World Bank ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking saw the country move up 16 places in the recently released 2020 Report from 146th to 131st position, thus making the country one of the top 20 reformers globally.
Fowler said that the Anambra flag-off exercise, the third in the series, had brought together stakeholders from diverse sectors and segments in the South East geopolitical zone, having common desire to drive the financial and economic regeneration of the region in particular and Nigeria in general into one that is viable, sustainable and inclusive.
Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra State, while declaring the event open, said payment of tax was critical to the development of the nation.
Obiano, who was represented by Nkem Okeke, deputy governor, said that Anambra has made appreciable progress in the collection of tax in the past five years.
Obiano noted that the progress was due to strengthening of relevant laws and introduction of reforms in tax collection.
Oseni Elamah, executive secretary, Joint Tax Board (JTB), in a welcome address said the New JTB National TIN Registration System and Consolidated Taxpayers’ Database was a web-based solution for tax payment.
Elamah said the new system was transparent as it utililises accurate collected and recorded basic identification data.
He said users could initiate TIN request from the comfort of their homes and offices, verify their tax status and print their TIN certificate.
The event which held at Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka was organised by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and attended by tax officials from Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States.
EMMANUEL NDUKUBA, Awka
