FIRS denies Xpress Payments as sole tax fee platform
The Federal Inland Revenue Service has denied recent assertions about the appointment of Xpress Payments as the sole entity in the national revenue collection framework.
The agency characterized these assertions as incorrect and potentially politicizing a purely administrative matter.
In a statement issued by Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, in response to comments from former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the agency firmly declared that it does not maintain any exclusive or single-gateway system for tax collection. It also clarified that no private entity has been awarded monopolistic rights over government funds.
The FIRS further explained that it functions within a multi-channel, multi-Payment Solution Service Provider (PSSP) model. This model encompasses various well-established platforms such as Quickteller, Remita, Etranzact, Flutterwave, and XpressPay. The agency noted that this diverse and competitive framework is intended to facilitate easier and more efficient tax payments for Nigerians.
Additionally, the service reiterated that PSSPs are not agents of collection and do not receive processing fees or a share of government funds. All payments made through these specified channels, the FIRS explained, are directed straight into the Federation Account without any diversion or private management.
According to the FIRS, the multi-channel approach enhances efficiency, greatly improves monitoring and reporting capabilities, and actively fosters innovation, competition, and job creation in Nigeria's financial technology sector. The agency mentioned that the onboarding process for all PSSPs follows a transparent and verifiable method to guarantee fairness and equity.
The agency also brought attention to the ongoing national tax reforms spearheaded by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. It described these reforms as vital to Nigeria's economic advancement and stated that they are firmly based on principles of transparency and efficiency. The FIRS asserted that these critical reforms should not be embroiled in partisan controversies.
The FIRS called on political figures to avoid misrepresenting standard administrative processes. It emphasized that Nigeria's tax administration system is too important to be subjected to misinformation or unnecessary debate.
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