Nigeria Proposes Single Revenue-Collecting Agency Named Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS)

President Bola Tinubu’s administration is on the verge of reshaping Nigeria’s revenue collection system in a bold reform aimed at consolidating efforts and boosting government earnings. If passed, his new plan would bar over 60 revenue-generating agencies from collecting revenues on behalf of the Federal Government.

In their place, a single entity, the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), will take up the responsibility of tax and levy collection, drastically altering how revenue streams flow into national coffers.

This sweeping overhaul is part of a broader tax reform initiative by the administration, which seeks to address Nigeria’s revenue challenges head-on. For years, the country has struggled with an abysmally low tax-to-GDP ratio, hovering below the African average and placing Nigeria among the world’s lowest in terms of tax collection. This has worsened the fiscal deficit and left the government heavily reliant on borrowing to fund public spending, resulting in a cyclical trap of insufficient funding for essential development projects.

The Punch reported that the new reforms aim to streamline the process, with a clear goal, which is to push Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio to a minimum of 18%. The creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service, which will handle the task of revenue collection, represents the most significant change. This new agency is expected to take over from bodies like the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and numerous others currently involved in collecting revenues for the government.

Ending Fragmentation in Revenue Collection

At the heart of this initiative is the desire to create a more efficient, transparent, and accountable system. Currently, multiple agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and many others, manage their revenue streams independently. This often leads to overlapping functions, inefficiencies, and difficulties in monitoring and ensuring compliance.

A senior official at the Presidency, while explaining the move to The Punch, dispelled rumors that the reform would lead to the merger of agencies. Instead, the plan focuses on centralizing revenue collection duties under the new Nigeria Revenue Service, allowing other agencies to focus on their primary mandates.

“There is no merger of agencies. The bill will only take the revenue collection arm of each agency involved and allocate it to the Nigerian Revenue Service,” the official clarified.

In outlining the purpose of the reforms, the source compared the proposed NRS to similar agencies in developed countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, where centralized bodies manage all government revenue collections.

“The new revenue agency will be like the US or UK revenue agencies that collect all government revenues, while other revenue agencies like NIMASA, NPA, Customs, etc., will now focus on their core mandate, which is trade facilitation. There is no merger at all,” the official emphasized.

The policy shift was set in motion when President Tinubu forwarded four executive bills to the National Assembly for consideration. One of the key proposals included in these submissions is the renaming of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria Revenue Service. This bill, called the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, seeks to repeal the existing Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, No. 13, 2007, effectively creating a more robust framework for revenue generation.

In a letter read during plenary sessions by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Tinubu highlighted the urgency of passing the new tax reform bills. According to him, the proposed changes will not only strengthen fiscal institutions but also foster greater transparency in tax administration. Tinubu noted that the Nigeria Revenue Service would be responsible for assessing, collecting, and accounting for revenue accruing to the government from various sectors.

A Broader Tax Reform Agenda

Tinubu’s tax reform bills extend beyond the creation of the NRS. The President also submitted three other key bills under the umbrella of fiscal policy and tax reform, aimed at overhauling the nation’s fiscal framework.

These proposals include:

1. The Nigeria Tax Bill: This legislation seeks to consolidate Nigeria’s fiscal framework for taxation, streamlining the tax codes and making it easier for taxpayers to navigate the system.
2. The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill: Designed to provide clarity on the administration of tax laws, this bill aims to ensure fair, consistent, and efficient enforcement of tax regulations. It’s expected to reduce disputes, make tax compliance easier, and boost revenue collection.
3. The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill: This bill proposes the creation of a Joint Revenue Board, along with a Tax Appeal Tribunal and a Tax Ombudsman. These bodies will be tasked with harmonizing and resolving disputes arising from tax administration in Nigeria.

He believes that once enacted, the bills will spur investment, increase consumer spending, and fuel the country’s economic growth.

“I am confident that the bills, when passed, will encourage investment, boost consumer spending, and stimulate Nigeria’s economic growth,” he stated.

The urgency of these reforms is underscored by Nigeria’s ongoing revenue challenges. The nation is grappling with a fiscal deficit that continues to balloon, largely due to the decline in oil production and poor tax collection system. Currently, Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio is around 6%, far below the African average of 18%. Without significant reform, experts warn that the country’s over-reliance on borrowing could deepen, jeopardizing its ability to fund crucial infrastructure projects and social programs.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the importance of the bills. He stated that the proposed laws align with the Tinubu administration’s objectives and are critical for ensuring the country’s economic stability.

“These bills, when passed, will encourage the growth and sustainability of the economy,” Abbas said.

The House also took steps to repeal the Fiscal Responsibility Act, of 2007, consolidating six bills to enact the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, of 2024, which aims to ensure prudent management of national resources, macroeconomic stability, and greater accountability in fiscal operations.

Mixed Reactions to the Reforms

However, not everyone is on board with the proposed changes. Some experts have expressed concerns, particularly about the implications for agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service, which has long been one of the country’s primary revenue-generating bodies.

Dr. Eugene Nweke, former National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, criticized the idea, arguing that revenue collection is an integral part of Customs’ mandate worldwide.

“Customs all over the world are known for revenue collection. What it means is that they would outsource that function to a third party,” he said.

Nweke also pointed out the technical complexities involved in revenue collection, warning that stripping Customs of this function could lead to inefficiencies.

Taiwo Fatobilola, National Public Relations Officer of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, echoed similar sentiments.

“It is not possible, don’t mind the government. They think revenue collection is what anybody can wake up and start with? Do they know how much it takes to train people on something the NCS has been trained to do?” Fatobilola questioned.

On the other hand, some industry experts support the reforms, noting that centralizing revenue collection could curb corruption and leakage while improving efficiency. The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, led by Taiwo Oyedele, has been vocal in its support of the changes. Oyedele believes that Nigeria’s fiscal system is overdue for an overhaul and that protecting the poor and vulnerable, while taxing the rich effectively, is the way forward.

“We found out that poor persons are those paying taxes, so it is time for them to take a break,” Oyedele stated. “We have to look at the system to take that burden away from vulnerable people, small businesses, and let the middle class and the rich, who can afford to pay, do so.”

If successfully passed, the creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service could usher in a new era of centralized, efficient revenue collection that could help the country achieve its ambitious tax-to-GDP ratio target and reduce its reliance on debt. The future of Nigeria’s fiscal policy now rests in the hands of the legislators and stakeholders who will decide whether this reform, touted as the solution to the nation’s revenue woes, will come to be.