The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, says the Federal Government is targeting a 77 per cent increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Edun, who is also the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, said this on Wednesday in Abuja, at the opening of the 2024 Strategic Management Retreat of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the retreat is “Re-imagining To Tax Administration for Equity and Economic Growth.
According to Edun, tax plays an integral role in the government’s quest to boost revenue that will help bridge infrastructure deficit, and build social safety nets that will cater to ordinary Nigerians.
He commended the management of the FIRS for its commitment towards meeting its set revenue target.
“It is commendable that the FIRS is holding this retreat at the beginning of the year to rub minds on how to increase government revenue.
“We are projecting a 77 per cent increase in IGR. Our revenue as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is low at below 10 per cent. It should be much higher.
“Government needs to spend so much on infrastructure and social services. The idea is to shift from expensive debts to domestic revenue mobilisation,” he said.
The Executive Chairman, FIRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji, said that the retreat was a historic moment to unveil the new FIRS organisational structure, with the commitment to revolutionise tax administration in Nigeria.
According to Adedeji, the cornerstone of this paradigm shift is the establishment of a customer-centric organisational structure designed to streamline processes and enhance efficiency in tax operations.
“By tailoring our services to specific taxpayer segments, we aim to simplify the taxpayer experience. No more complexities, no more overlapping, just a seamless and user-friendly interaction for every taxpayer.
“In a groundbreaking move, we are shifting away from traditional tax categorisation. Instead of maintaining different departments for distinct tax categories, the new structure formulates taxpayer segments based on thresholds.
“This tailored approach ensures that taxpayers are guided and serviced according to their specific needs, eliminating confusion and redundancy in tax administration,” he explained.
