FIRS boss urges EFCC’s role in tax compliance drive

Dr. Zacch Adedeji, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS has said, the role of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is crucial in tax enforcement drive.

In a statement on Tuesday, the FIRS said, the newly signed tax la2 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be active in January 2026 with enforcement and needed compliance by Nigerians.

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The statement noted the tax Agency will transform into “Nigerian Revenue Service”, reflecting its new ideals.

The statement quited Zacch Adedeji to have stated this during a courtesy visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.

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The EFCC and FIRS, however pledged commitment to collaborate more in order to strengthen Nigeria’s tax compliance framework and safeguard public revenue, highlighting that “inter-agency cooperation sustain financial stability and building trust in Nigeria’s revenue system.”

“We cannot pursue 200 million Nigerians individually to do the right thing, but we want to put a system in place that will aid compliance,” said Adedeji.

“You can help us by letting people know that when they violate the law, there is a place you can keep them. On behalf of the President and Nigerians, we thank you for your support and seek even deeper cooperation,” he added.

Adedeji explained that compliance would only improve if Nigerians saw tangible results from taxes, saying, “The main advertisement of voluntary compliance is when people begin to see what we use the money we collect for. In achieving that goal, you are critical, not just in arresting defaulters but in supporting our Department of Fraud Risk, Assessment and Control to ensure value for money.”
 

He credited Nigeria’s success in meeting its revenue target to preventive strategies and partnerships with agencies like the EFCC, saying the achievement was “a collective effort, not one by FIRS alone.”

Recall that President Bola Tinubu last week said that the Federal Government had met its revenue target for the year by August. Additional statements from the presidency indicated that about N20tn had been collected as revenue with the bulk of it coming from non-oil sources.

In his response, EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede assured Adedeji of continuous collaboration.

“Collaboration is key. When they see EFCC beside FIRS, that will send a signal to the public that it is no longer business as usual,” he said.

Olukoyede pointed to a recent Court of Appeal judgement affirming EFCC’s authority to investigate tax fraud, a ruling he described as a major boost to their mandate.

“We are not assessors of tax liabilities, but we can investigate non-compliance and push assessment issues back to you. Our duty remains the prevention, investigation and prosecution of financial crimes. Synergy is therefore essential.”

Both leaders pledged to consolidate their working relationship, reinforcing preventive measures and voluntary compliance as pillars of Nigeria’s tax system.

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