Taxpayers can now pay their taxpayers online by logging into the internet banking platform of any commercial bank in Nigeria, choosing the FIRS link and following the prompting.
This is the product of the electronic tax-pay solution, an ease of tax payment initiative of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in collaboration with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and Systemspecs Limited.
At the launch and public sensitization of the new product over the weekend in Lagos, the Acting Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi explained that the e-Tax Pay Solution is a self-service FIRS channel available on all commercial banks ‘ Internet banking platforms. He said once a taxpayer logs into any bank’ s Internet banking platform, he can click the FIRS link to pay his taxes and or submit necessary documents, the same way he may choose to pay other bills.
Mashi said: “It is that simple. It is that convenient. It is that accessible and it is very secure. Taxpayers do not have to go to any tax office before taxes are paid. Tax payment is just a click away”, representative of the Acting Executive Chairman of FIRS, Achilis Amahwe, explained.
“It is this quest for simplification of tax payment process and ease of access to tax services that led FIRS to recently roll out the electronic filing service under the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS). It serves as a means of reducing time and cost of compliance for the taxpayers and reducing interface between the taxpayers and tax authorities. It provides added convenience for taxpayers who will now sit at the comfort of their homes and offices and upload their tax returns on the e-Tax Pay Solution platform”, Mashi further explained.
Mashi urged the taxpayers to cultivate the use of the e-Tax Pay Solution or e-filing platforms as those were created for their convenience and ultimately engender a transparent and efficient tax system that optimizes tax revenue collection and voluntary compliance.
“We therefore hope that taxpayers will respond positively to these innovations and utilize them to a large scale. This will not only ease compliance for the taxpayers but also enable FIRS to ensure greater transparency in our operations as taxpayers will have full access to their records, which they upload and also to the payments which they make”, Mashi added.
The Coordinating Director, Field Operations Group, who was represented by Director, Medium Tax Department, Peter Olayemi said the e-Tax Pay Solution will boost tax revenue collection.
“These self-service initiatives are being introduced to strengthen the self-assessment regime and to improve voluntary tax Compliance using the online payment options. These initiatives will bring in more tax revenue and also provide convenience for both the taxpayers and the tax authorities”, Olayemi said.
Explaining the features of the e-tax pay solution, the Director, Programme Management Office (Tax), Gbolaga Oshiga said the platform is so user friendly and interactive that a first-time user would not find it difficult to complete the process.
The launch and demonstration of the platform attracted stakeholders from various sectors of Nigerian economy including Dangote Plc, Guiness Nigeria, Chevron, banks and telecommunications operators.
The e-Tax Pay Solution is a modernization initiative put together by the FIRS in collaboration with the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and the System Specs Limited to meet the expectations of taxation stakeholders in the area of service delivery.
