No firm has monopoly of TSA collections – FIRS replies Atiku

Claims by the former Vice President and opposition political figure, Atiku Abubakar that the Zacch Adedeji-led Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has granted exclusive rights to a private firm, Xpress Payments to collect revenue was untrue.

The agency debunked the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday by its Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Chairman, Aderonke Atoyebi, saying the statement was “incorrect, misleading, and capable of unnecessarily politicising a purely administrative and technical process.”

The FIRS said, no firm has monopoly or privileged control over the process, hence, it couldn’t have been the Xpress Payments that collects revenue on a single-gateway channel as the former Vice President was trying portray.

The agency in the statement named “Quickteller, Remita, E-transact, Flutterwave and Xpress Payments” as established multi-channel and multi-Payment Solution Service Provider (PSSP) platforms that are currently being used.

The FIRS said, in consideration of a highly competitive and transparent ecosystem designed to drive tax payment easily, all the critical platforms were engaged.

It added that PSSPs are not designated as collection agents and do not earn processing fees or percentages from revenues.

“All payments made through the platforms, it stressed, go directly into the Federation Account without diversion, intermediaries or private control.”

Atoyebi highlighted key features of the current collection framework, including the deliberate expansion of the system to allow multiple PSSPs, improved monitoring for better accountability, and increased opportunities within the financial-technology sector through innovation and competition.

She noted that the onboarding of PSSPs follows a clear and verifiable process that ensures fairness and equal opportunity for all operators.

The FIRS also emphasised that ongoing national tax reforms under the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms are central to Nigeria’s economic modernisation and should not be dragged into partisan disputes.

“The reform has come to stay and should not be subjected to mischaracterisation for political gain,” the statement read.

The agency urged political actors, including Atiku, to avoid spreading misinformation or raising unnecessary alarm around routine administrative procedures.